The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) carried out a demolition drive in Aarey Colony, removing a 50-year-old dargah as part of action against alleged illegal encroachments on government land.
The operation was conducted in the Goregaon area of Mumbai following complaints filed by BJP leader Kirit Somaiya, according to officials. The civic body stated that the structure was identified as an unauthorised construction during an anti-encroachment survey in the ecologically sensitive Aarey forest region.
The demolition triggered attention due to the religious nature of the structure and the sensitive location within Aarey Colony, which has been at the centre of repeated disputes over land use and environmental conservation.
Authorities said the action was part of a broader drive to remove illegal constructions from government-owned land. Officials maintained that due process was followed before the demolition, including prior notices and verification of documents related to the structure.
The move has once again revived debate over encroachments in Aarey, an area often described as Mumbai’s green lung and a key environmental zone that has seen multiple conflicts between development projects and conservation efforts.
The civic action comes amid continued scrutiny of illegal structures in Mumbai, with the BMC intensifying enforcement drives across the city in recent months.
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