Mount Mary Basilica Denies Stall Allotment Bias Allegations, Says Bandra Fair Process Followed Open Lottery System

Mumbai: The Mount Mary Basilica has rejected allegations of favouritism, financial irregularities and lack of transparency in the allotment of retail stalls at the Mount Mary Steps during the annual Bandra Fair, saying the process was conducted through an open application system followed by a lottery.

Lottery System Introduced To Replace Earlier Stall Allocation Practice

The allegations have emerged two years after the Basilica replaced the earlier practice of allotting stalls to the same families with a lottery open to the public. An unsuccessful applicant has sought an independent inquiry into the allotment process for 2025 and 2026, including whether staff members or their relatives benefited from the system.

Vijay Parmar, in a letter to the Archbishop of Bombay, alleged that family members of two Basilica staffers received stall allotments in both years. He sought scrutiny of the lists of applicants and eligible applicants and an inquiry into any possible conflict of interest.

Questions Raised Over Reserved Stalls And Vendor Payments

There are also allegations that stalls meant for Church-run organisations were subsequently offered to other vendors at substantially higher amounts, reportedly Rs 6 lakh to Rs 8 lakh a stall, compared with the official rate of Rs 700 per sq ft for a 10 ft x 10 ft stall.

Rupesh Gomes, whose family had held special stall rights before the system was changed, alleged that high stall prices had affected business during the fair.

Former Stall Holders Claim Rising Prices Impacted Business

“The effect of the price hike is that many stalls at Mount Mary Steps are lying vacant even on the third day of the fair. Bandra Fair is dying,” he said.

Responding to the allegations, Fr Vernon Aguiar, Rector of the Basilica of Our Lady of the Mount, said the allotments had been made with “full transparency” and denied any bias or favouritism.

Aguiar said all applications, lottery documentation and payment receipts were available for independent verification.

The Basilica said 128 stalls had been allotted through the lottery, while 20 were reserved for Church-run organisations and NGOs. Five of the reserved stalls remained unclaimed and were subsequently released into the open category at the standard rate of Rs 700 per sq ft. Payments, it said, were made digitally and were verifiable.

On the allegation concerning relatives of staff members, the Basilica said a discrepancy had been detected in one application, following which the allotment was cancelled and the stall sealed. The stall remained unsold and unoccupied, it said, adding that the applicant was not related to a Basilica staff member.

The eight-day fair, an adjunct to the nine-day veneration of Mother Mary at the shrine, ends on Sunday. While the stalls on the steps are alloted by the church, others on the neighbouring roads are handled by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.

Your voice matters. If you have a community story, issue, or inspiring local experience to share, send it to community@fpj.co.in and be a part of the conversation.

To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/