- Demolition of a religious structure in Aarey Colony was part of an anti-encroachment drive
- The structure was declared an encroachment on government land after trustees failed to prove legality
- The dargah had been demolished previously in 2017 and 2018 but was reconstructed and expanded
Demolition of a religious structure in Mumbai's Aarey Colony on Monday has revived a dispute that has simmered for years over the use of government land in the ecologically sensitive area. Officials say the demolition was part of an anti-encroachment drive.
According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Gajanan Rajmane, the structure stood on government land and had been declared an encroachment. He said a trust had been formed by local resident Yogesh Wankhede and three others, and notices had been issued asking the trustees to establish the legality of the structure.
"The trustees were given time and notices were served. They neither demolished the structure nor could they prove its legality. We are therefore carrying out the demolition," Rajmane said.
Police said the operation was nearing completion on Monday. Rajmane also confirmed that another religious structure in the area had been removed a day earlier as part of the same drive.
Long History Of Dispute
The structure, locally known as the Hazrat Syed Pir Baba Dargah, has been at the centre of a prolonged dispute. Officials said it stood around 400 metres from Aarey Police Station and had previously been demolished in 2017 and 2018. However, it was reconstructed and expanded over time.
Aarey Colony, originally developed by the Maharashtra government for dairy activities, contains cattle sheds, grazing areas and large green tracts. The area is often described as one of Mumbai's "green lungs" and has frequently been at the centre of debates over development versus conservation, most notably during the controversy surrounding the Metro-3 car shed project.
Kirit Somaiya's Complaint
The issue gained renewed political attention in April this year when BJP leader and former MP Kirit Somaiya visited the site and sought action against what he described as an illegal occupation of government land.
In a letter dated April 9, 2026, addressed to the Chief Executive Officer of Aarey Colony, Somaiya alleged that land belonging to the Sanjay Gandhi National Park had been encroached upon in the name of the dargah.
The letter alleged:
Illegal fencing and boundary walls had been erected around the site.
Temporary sheds and other structures had been constructed.
The land was being occupied under the cover of a religious institution.
The plot, identified in official records, had been transferred from Aarey Colony to the Sanjay Gandhi National Park in 2022.
Officials from Aarey, the national park, the revenue department, police and the civic administration were aware of the alleged encroachment.
Somaiya urged authorities to demolish the structures, restore possession of the land to the national park and initiate criminal proceedings against those responsible.
Heavy Security Deployment
Anticipating possible tension, authorities deployed a large police presence at the site. Apart from personnel from Aarey Police Station, an additional police platoon and riot-control units were stationed in the area during the demolition.
The operation remained peaceful till the afternoon, officials said.
The civic authorities in Mumbai have undertaken a drive to clear the illegal structures - residential, commercial, religious, in recent weeks. It made it to the headlines after the police met with resistance from the locals in Bandra East.
Following the protests in Bandra, the authorities have taken precautions by limiting dissemination of visuals of action on religious structures and increasing police deployment.
