Despite being alcohol-free by community practice for years, residents of Kharghar have been demanding formal recognition of the area as a “Darumukt City” (Alcohol-Free City) since 2007. Under the banner of the local people’s movement Sangharsh, citizens have consistently engaged in advocacy efforts, written appeals, and organized public campaigns for nearly two decades.
The demand has been backed by several elected representatives, who have raised the issue repeatedly in both houses of the state legislature. However, the state government has yet to respond to what residents describe as a legal, legitimate, and long-standing plea.
Frustrated by the prolonged inaction, the people of Kharghar have resolved to escalate their movement through constitutional and peaceful means.
In a letter addressed to the Raigad Collector, Sangharsh highlighted several alleged violations despite the area's alcohol-free tradition.
“There has been a false inspection report submitted by the State Excise Inspector (Panvel) to the Excise Superintendent (Raigad) concerning hotels that are serving alcohol. Even CIDCO is hand in glove and has allocated approximately 900 sq. meters of public land to a hotel. There is protection given to an unauthorized 12-storey building constructed without an occupancy certificate,” said a representative of the organization.
Accusations have also been leveled against CIDCO officials for the illegal allocation of public land to hotels in the area.. Officials are further alleged to have shielded a 2,000 sq. ft. tin shed structure illegally erected by hotels in Sector 12, Kharghar. In addition, the organization has cited non-compliance by RTI officers from the State Excise Department, CIDCO, and Panvel Municipal Corporation, who allegedly failed to provide requested information even after appeals.
In response, Sangharsh has announced a series of peaceful protest actions:
April 28, 2025 (Monday): A protest will be held outside the District Collector’s office, where a formal memorandum will be submitted.
May 18, 2025: A one-day symbolic hunger strike in Kharghar. Protesters will wear black bands and wave black flags to mark their dissent.
May 31 – June 1, 2025: A two-day peaceful chain hunger strike is scheduled.
During the Monsoon Assembly Session: Demonstrations and awareness drives will be organized in Kharghar and potentially at Azad Maidan, Mumbai.
“The movement aims to highlight not only the unfulfilled promise of declaring Kharghar as an alcohol-free city but also to expose alleged administrative irregularities and negligence that, according to citizens, threaten the integrity and character of the area,” added a member of the organization.
