8,000 Residents At Risk: Will The Jai Ambe Society Face Demolition Chaos?

Around 8,000 residents of the Jai Ambe Welfare Society in Achole, Nalasopara East, face the threat of homelessness as the Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation (VVMC) plans to demolish 41 illegal buildings in the area. According to the Hindustan Times, eviction notices have already been issued to about 2,500 families.

Mohan Sankhe, assistant municipal commissioner of VVMC, stated, "We have written letters on Friday to the police for protection and to MSEDCL to disconnect the electricity supply to the illegal buildings before the demolition begins."

Photo Credit: PTI

On Tuesday, a Supreme Court bench led by Justice Hrishikesh Roy and Justice SVN Bhatti allowed the demolition to proceed but urged authorities to consider rehabilitation options for those affected. The court emphasised that rehabilitation should be assessed separately from the demolition process.

The Bombay High Court had previously denied relief to the occupants, declaring the 41 buildings "wholly illegal and unauthorised." These structures were built on land designated for a sewage treatment plant and a dumping ground. The court dismissed a petition from the builder seeking to regularise the buildings, and VVMC officials confirmed that the demolition would take place by the set deadline of September 30.

In response to the residents' fears, the political party Aagri Sena and the NGO Hindavi Swarajya Pratishthan (HSP) have pledged to advocate for rehabilitation. Fahim Khan from HSP said, "The builders have cheated thousands of people. Many residents are daily wage workers living below the poverty line. If they are evicted, they will have to live on the streets." Khan also mentioned that the NGO plans to meet with VVMC officials on Tuesday to discuss rehabilitation options for the residents.

The illegal buildings occupy approximately 30 acres of land, spanning survey numbers 22 to 30 in Agarwal Nagar, Nalasopara East. Some of this land is privately owned. Sitaram Gupta, a former corporator of the Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA) party, and his son Arun Gupta began constructing these buildings in 2006 without the necessary construction permits or occupancy certificates. Several structures were demolished between 2010 and 2012 due to their unauthorised status.