Mumbai, November 4, 2026: A day after the Supreme Court (SC) froze Mumbai Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide’s salary over alleged non-compliance with its directives, the BMC swung into damage-control mode, launching a massive pre-dawn demolition drive on Wednesday to clear illegal structures from a plot in Borivali reserved for a Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) bus station.
In the wake of the embarrassment, the Standing Committee Chairman ordered the suspension of officials who failed to act against the encroachments in time.
A three-judge bench of the apex court on Tuesday issued a show-cause notice to Bhide, asking why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against her for failing to comply with its earlier directives.
The court also imposed costs of Rs 5 lakh on the BMC. Within 24 hours of the SC's order, the BMC’s R-Central ward launched a massive demolition drive at around 7 am on Wednesday, razing multiple unauthorised structures, including shops, shanties and commercial units, on a 3,400-sq-metre plot on Swami Vivekanand Road in Borivali East. Around 70 personnel, two JCB machines and four dumpers were deployed, with a heavy police presence to maintain law and order.
“Despite repeated notices over the past few weeks, the shop owners failed to remove the illegal shanties. We had warned them of eviction, and the long-pending drive finally began on Wednesday,” an official said.
Corporators Blame BMC Legal Department
Meanwhile, corporators cutting across party lines voiced strong displeasure over the functioning of the BMC’s Law Department. At Wednesday’s Standing Committee meeting, Shiv Sena (UBT) corporator Yashodhar Phanse raised a point of order, flagging unauthorised structures left partially demolished in Versova, Andheri West, and questioning the civic administration’s failure to ensure their complete removal.
Leader of the House and BJP group leader Ganesh Khankar alleged that the BMC’s Legal Department had failed to act despite prior warnings, dragging the civic body into an avoidable legal battle.
“Some of these structures date back to 1960 and are located close to Borivali railway station. I had convened a meeting on the issue in my cabin last month, but no follow-up action was taken. The plot is reserved for a BEST electrical substation, and the BMC has no direct role in the project. However, due to the Legal Department’s negligence, the civic body has been dragged into the matter. The department also failed to effectively present the BMC’s stand before the Supreme Court,” he said.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena group leader Yashwant Killedar also blamed the Legal Department, alleging that it had failed to keep the Municipal Commissioner informed about the developments. He said the department’s failure had ultimately left Bhide facing the consequences.
Standing Committee Orders Suspension Of Officials
Shinde said the BMC’s image had been tarnished by the episode, alleging that the Legal Department had failed to keep the civic chief informed despite the SC's June 2026 interim order.
“When I learnt about the Supreme Court’s order on Tuesday, I immediately called the concerned officials, but they were not even aware of it. Despite the court’s interim order directing action, the Legal Department failed to inform the Municipal Commissioner. Was this sheer negligence or monetary inducement?” he asked.
Shinde directed the civic administration to immediately suspend the officials concerned from the Legal Department and R-Central ward and submit an action-taken report to the Standing Committee.
Borivali Plot Entangled In Litigation Since 1986
The Borivali plot, located opposite the railway station, has remained mired in litigation since 1986, when a private builder entered into a development agreement to construct residential units on the land. Originally reserved for a BEST depot, the site gradually turned into a hub of encroachments amid the prolonged legal battle.
In August last year, the SC ordered the builder to surrender the land to the BMC and directed the civic body to take possession within three months, remove all illegal structures and operationalise the BEST bus station by year-end.
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The project remained stalled as encroachments continued to occupy the land. Taking note of the delay, the SC sought a personal affidavit from Bhide, detailing the occupants, eviction notices served and pending tenancy or ownership claims. With the project proponents also moving the apex court against the civic administration, the court ordered the withholding of Bhide’s November salary.
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