Bombay HC Orders Removal of Encroachments Around Charkop Lake
The Bombay High Court has directed the Mumbai Suburban District administration to remove encroachments around a natural lake located in Charkop, Kandivali West, instructing officials to act strictly in accordance with the law without showing favour to any person.
A bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Ravindra Ghuge and Justice Gautam Ankhad stated that the administration must act independently and noted that the court will closely monitor the clearance process to ensure the administration's commitments do not turn out to be an eyewash. The directives were issued during the hearing of a petition filed by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation seeking permission to carry out conservation and beautification work at the natural lake in Charkop Sector 7.
The water body is situated within a 50-metre buffer zone of mangroves. To regulate water inflow and prevent trash from entering the lake, the civic body has proposed the construction of a gabion wall.
Mumbai Suburban District Collector Saurabh Katiyar and Deputy Collector for Encroachment and Removal, Borivali, Ujwalla Bhagat, appeared before the bench following earlier court orders. The Collector submitted an affidavit stating that authorities have conducted joint inspections, physical verification, and the identification and classification of structures in the area. Statutory notices have already been issued to encroachers.
The district administration informed the court that it would coordinate with the BMC, Slum Rehabilitation Authority, Forest Department, Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority, and revenue officials. The Collector assured the bench that all structures legally liable for removal and lacking statutory protection would be cleared within six weeks after September 30, 2026.
The court observed that recipients of the notices would be given an opportunity to present documents proving title or interest in the land before action is taken. Once verified, hutments, slums, and unauthorized structures will be removed. The bench also ordered the district administration to plant fresh mangrove saplings on the cleared land, observing that illegal structures had depleted the mangrove cover.
While allowing the civic body to proceed with the beautification project, the bench emphasized that cleaning the area cannot be a solitary act. It instructed the BMC to proactively prevent further dumping of waste and maintain the lake and surrounding mangroves. During a previous hearing, the court had raised serious concerns over photographs showing construction debris, washbasins, and commodes dumped around the site. The matter is scheduled for further hearing on September 11 to review compliance.
