Bombay High Court orders demolition of unauthorised floors, structures of 48 buildings around Mumbai airport

The Bombay High Court on 29/07/2022 directed Mumbai Suburban District Collector to initiate steps to demolish unauthorised floors and/or structures of 48 buildings around the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA).

A division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice MS Karnik pulled up the Collector for inaction and asked her to file an affidavit by August 22 spelling out the steps it would take to pull down the structures or portions of the structures which have flouted the height restrictions.

The majority of the offending structures are located in Vile Parle east with the airport itself spread over Santa Cruz, Andheri and Vile Parle East.

"We direct the Collector, Mumbai Suburban District, to take steps to implement the final orders passed by the DGCA in respect of the 48 obstacles. By the next date, an affidavit should be filed stating the steps that would be taken to implement the orders," the Court ordered.

The bench further expressed their displeasure over the fact that the Collector in the affidavit attempted to shift the responsibility of demolition onto the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

"We are not at all impressed with this affidavit. We do not approve of the Collector passing off his responsibility on the BMC. It has to comply with the orders of the DGCA as provided under the Aircraft Rules, 1994."- CJ Datta