High Court Slams Mumbai's Slum Policy Amidst Encroachment Issues

The Bombay High Court criticised Maharashtra's slum policy for encouraging illegal encroachments, converting them into legitimate rights for free tenements. The court urged the government to review these policies, emphasizing the negative long-term impacts on future generations and calling out the complexities of removing encroachments from public and private lands.

The Bombay High Court has strongly criticised the Maharashtra government's slum policy, describing it as 'strange' and highlighting its role in encouraging illegal encroachments. The court noted that this policy has led to significant portions of land being siphoned from the state pool, tarnishing Mumbai's reputation as an international city known for its slums.

In its Tuesday judgment, the bench of Justices Girish Kulkarni and Jitendra Jain indicated the need for a thorough review of such policies, considering the adverse impacts on future generations. The court expressed concern over the transformation of illegal encroachments into legitimate claims for free tenements, labelling it as a 'premium on illegality' for encroachers.

The court pointed out the challenges of dealing with encroachments, stressing the crucial role of the Slum Rehabilitation Authority in addressing these issues. It quashed a notice by the SRA to acquire land from the Mount Mary Church trust for a slum redevelopment project, calling the acquisition 'unwarranted' and 'patently illegal'. The court underscored the importance of upholding property rights and the rule of law amidst ongoing encroachment battles.

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