The Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) has filed a serious complaint against 149 villagers of Gorai village, located in Gorai Creek, accusing them of obstructing public servants and participating in an unlawful assembly, among other charges.
The Manori-Gorai-Uttan area has been designated as a tourism development zone, which the villagers and environmentalists have been strongly opposing.
Gorai Village's colonial history
Gorai Village has a mixed population of Koli, Agri, Christians, and Muslims, with a majority following Christianity and Eastern Indian culture due to strong Portuguese presence in the 16th century. The villagers claim that the land has belonged to them for generations, and they oppose the tourism plan as it does not benefit them but outsiders.
Switsy Henriques, a villager, said, “Development should be for the people who live here, not outsiders. Why doesn't the government provide us with leased land? We have heard that the government intends to hand over this land to private builders. We have Koli, Kunabi, Bhandari, Christian, and Muslim communities here, and we all live peacefully together in the village. Villagers do not oppose the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Museum at all.”
Gopal Zaveri, the founder of Mumbai March, accused the government of destroying culture and economy under the guise of development. He said, “Some people have vested interests in this plan; they want to destroy the Adivasi culture and fishing traditions. The implementation of a desalination plant is also concerning. Gorai village has ponds where animals come to drink water, but under the name of beautification, the government has concretized these areas. In reality, it is not the government, but those who own land in the area, who are responsible for these actions. The government has not built a school or provided basic facilities to the villagers. Gorai will only be connected to Mumbai for the benefit of a few landowners.”
Government plans to open museum in Gorai
The government plans to build the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Museum in Gorai, but villagers, social workers, and environmentalists object, claiming that the museum will occupy only 5 acres. They believe that this development is being carried out for the benefit of others under the guise of a museum and also raise the question of where the fishermen will fish and park their boats if tourism spots are developed in the area.
Mangal Prabhat Lodha, the Minister of Tourism of Maharashtra, stated that this land belongs to the MTDC, and any encroachment on government land will be removed through due process of law. The government aims to develop tourism while preserving and respecting nature. Individuals found to be encroaching on government land will face appropriate action.
