Mumbai News: Worli Koliwada Residents Win Major Legal Milestone As Govt Begins Demarcation Of Ancestral Waras Land

Mumbai, Feb 06: A decades-long fight by Worli village residents to get rights over waras (community) land, used by their families for centuries, saw a significant outcome after government officials began demarcating the land this week.

The survey on village plot No. 224 in Worli Koliwada began under the supervision of a superintendent and surveyor from the office of the Mumbai District Collector. For residents, this is a victory in a legal fight that has spanned over five decades.

Legal battle dating back to 1973

The dispute dates back to 1973, when the original residents first approached the courts to secure their ancestral land rights. On July 30, 2025, in response to an application by a Worli Koliwada resident, the court asked the district administration to measure and demarcate the available and existing waras land within six months.

The matter is now listed for February 25, 2026. The Collector of Mumbai City was asked to complete the boundary demarcation of Worli Koliwada by this date.

Extent of land and past acquisitions

The land, which is estimated to be spread over 1,20,000 sq m, has been partly encroached upon by slums. Another section has been acquired by the military. The advocate for the fishermen said a decree dated September 2, 1994, indicated that the applicants have rights and privileges to make use of the land in terms of a 1933 resolution of the Bombay Improvement Trust Committee (BITC). The decree was granted on available vacant land, excluding that occupied by the military.

Community celebrations mark survey

Residents of the Koliwada celebrated the event by performing a series of religious rituals. The 457 families that will benefit from the community gathered in large numbers. Offerings were made to Golfa Devi, the village gramdevi, to mark the start of the work.

The survey instruments were adorned with garlands and vermilion (haldi-kumkum). The air resonated with traditional chants of “Sadanandacha Yelkot” and “Aai Mauli cha Udo Udo” as families celebrated.

Fishing livelihoods and encroachment concerns

The fishermen from the village, which predates the city, used the land for fishing-related activities such as boat and fishing net repairing and sun-drying fish, as well as for cultural and social gatherings. The fishermen have been campaigning for control over the land as it is under threat from further encroachment by slums.

Precedent for other Gaothans

This demarcation is viewed as more than just a local victory; it is being hailed as the “sweet fruit of penance” for years of persistent litigation. Representatives from the Worli Koliwada Owners Association and the Gaothan Koliwada Pade Sanvardhan Samiti noted that this process sets a vital legal precedent.

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The successful demarcation of Plot 224 is expected to provide a blueprint for securing the land rights of other indigenous Gaothans (villages) and Koliwadas (fishing villages) across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region and the seven maritime districts of Maharashtra.

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