October 4, 2025: The Bombay High Court has raised serious concerns over the proposed redevelopment of 33 acres of prime government land at Cuffe Parade in South Mumbai under the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) scheme. In a strongly worded order on 1 October, the court questioned whether the land, sought for slum redevelopment, was being diverted for large-scale private construction at the expense of public utility.
The division bench, comprising Justices G.S. Kulkarni and Aarti Sathe, highlighted the city’s acute shortage of open spaces, gardens and other civic amenities, noting that prime sea-facing land should not be permanently removed from the public pool. The judges emphasised that while eligible slum dwellers have a legal right to rehabilitation, it does not extend to ownership or continued possession of high-value government property.
The court expressed alarm over a perceived “modus operandi” in which public lands are encroached upon, declared slums, and then redeveloped, allowing private developers to profit from valuable state-owned plots. It also noted that the Ministry of Defence had denied a no-objection certificate due to the land’s proximity to defence installations, prompting the bench to direct the Ministry, the SRA CEO, and Maharashtra’s revenue and urban development secretary to file affidavits within ten days.
The petitions under consideration include one from Gulab Shankar Mishra, representing a federation of slum societies, and another from developer Precaution Properties Pvt. Ltd., tasked with the redevelopment. The court adjourned the matter to October 15, emphasising that the issue concerns long-term public interest and the constitutional responsibility to safeguard government land for future generations.
Under the SRA scheme, slum dwellers are provided free 1 BHK apartments of approximately 330 sq ft, while developers gain rights to construct saleable housing on the freed-up land. During construction, displaced families receive interim rent for the period their homes are demolished.
Source: Hindustan Times
