Kandivali Pond Beautification: Clear Encroachments Without Favour, Bombay HC Tells Collector

Mumbai, August 18, 2026: The Bombay High Court has directed the Mumbai Suburban District administration to remove encroachments around a natural lake in Charkop in Kandivali West “without showing any favour to any person”, making it clear that the exercise must not be influenced by anyone, regardless of how powerful or influential they may be.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Ravindra Ghuge and Justice Gautam Ankhad said the administration must act independently and strictly in accordance with law.

The court also said it would closely monitor the progress of the encroachment removal and ensure that the affidavit filed by the district administration does not turn out to be “an eyewash to the Court”.

The court was hearing a petition filed by the BMC seeking permission to undertake conservation and beautification work at a natural lake in Charkop Sector 7.

The lake is located within the 50-metre buffer zone of mangroves. The civic body has proposed construction of a gabion wall to regulate the inflow of water and prevent garbage from entering the lake.

Collector Details Encroachment Action

District Collector Saurabh Katiyar and Deputy Collector (Encroachment and Removal), Borivali, Ujwalla Bhagat, appeared before the court pursuant to its earlier orders. The Collector placed an affidavit on record detailing the steps taken by the administration.

According to the affidavit, the administration has carried out joint inspections, physical verification and identification and classification of structures. Statutory notices have also been issued to the encroachers. The administration told the court that it would coordinate with the BMC, Slum Rehabilitation Authority, Forest Department, MHADA and revenue authorities to ensure compliance with the court’s directions.

The Collector has assured the court that structures legally liable for removal and not protected by any statutory restriction would be removed. The exercise is to be completed within six weeks after September 30, 2026.

Documents To Be Verified

The court noted that notices had been issued to the encroachers and said they would be given an opportunity to produce documents, if any, showing their title or interest in the land. After considering these documents, appropriate action would be taken and the encroachments, hutments and slums would be removed.

The bench also directed the district administration to plant fresh mangrove saplings after clearing the encroachments, noting that the illegal structures had “eaten up the mangrove cover”.

The court allowed the BMC to proceed with the lake’s beautification but cautioned that “removal of garbage and clearing of garbage is not a solitary act of cleaning of the area”. It directed the civic body to proactively prevent further dumping and continuously maintain the lake and surrounding mangroves.

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HC Seeks Stage-Wise Compliance

The petition will be heard on September 11 for stage-wise compliance by the district administration and BMC.

During an earlier hearing, the HC had expressed concern after perusing the photographs showing construction debris dumped around the pond, terming it a “grim sight”. The photos showed washbasins and commode littering the place.

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