HC Slams Brakes On Illegal High-Rise Threatening Naval Airbase & PM Landing Zone
The Bombay High Court ordered an immediate halt to all construction work at the 23-floor Jadhavji Mansion in Colaba, located less than 250 metres from the sensitive naval air station INS Shikra and VVIP heliport. Acting on a Local Military Authority petition citing violations of defence height guidelines and a lack of mandatory Navy NOC, the court barred workers from entering the site.
The Bombay High Court ordered an immediate halt to all construction work at the 23-floor Jadhavji Mansion in Colaba, located less than 250 metres from the sensitive naval air station INS Shikra and VVIP heliport. |
Mumbai: The Local Military Authority petitioned the Bombay High Court to challenge the construction of a high-rise building as "illegal and unauthorized." The building named Jadhavji Mansion, according to The Times of India, is less than 250 metres from a highly sensitive naval air station and VVIP heliport at Colaba, INS Shikra. Jadhavji Mansion consists of 23 floors, according to the petition. The petition alleged violations of height guidelines for buildings within 500 metres of defence establishments.
The division bench of Justices R V Ghuge and Abhay Mantri said that "... considering that the Prime Minister of India would be landing at INS Shikra air station and... keeping in view the great anxiety expressed as regards the security protocol..." The High Court directed that no construction worker would be permitted to enter the building for any construction or masonry activity from Monday midnight until the matter is heard for further orders, on Wednesday.
According to the Times of India, Senior counsel R V Govilkar and advocate Mihir Govilkar stated that the BMC did not respond to the Naval query for months and appeared to grant construction permission without the mandatory no-objection certificate (NOC) from the Navy on height restrictions.
The petition said that in March 2015, the defence ministry modified its guidelines mandating an NOC for post-2011 height amendments, and in May 2025, INS Shikra wrote to BMC objecting to the height of the upcoming building and sought a stop-work notice. In July 2025, BMC's deputy chief engineer denied the applicability of defence guidelines, claiming prior permissions for the construction.
According to the Naval petition, "The proximity, line of sight, and operational sensitivity of INS Shikra vitiates all permissions." It added that the civic body's failure to invoke Section 354-A of the BMC Act constituted statutory dereliction in the face of prima facie illegality and danger. Section 354A empowers civic officials to stop and demolish unlawful construction.
According to the Times of India, no allegations have been made against the builder.
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