Elephanta Island Stall Owners Reject MMB Demand for 10 Years of Back Rent

A total of 130 stall owners on Gharapuri, also known as Elephanta Island in Mumbai, have rejected a demand from the Maharashtra Maritime Board to pay over ten years of back-rent to regularise their businesses. The board issued a notice on July 13 warning traders that they face eviction within 15 days if they do not clear arrears amounting to ₹5,41,272 per stall, a figure local traders have called arbitrary, excessive, and unreasonable.

The demand stems from a notice issued under Clause 9 of the Maharashtra Maritime Board (Regulations for Leasing Stalls and Leasing Land for Erection of Stalls), 2026. The notice requires existing stall operators to clear all outstanding dues within 15 days and agree to pay a prescribed annual rent in order to qualify for a five-year lease agreement. According to the notice, the licence for the 56-square-metre stalls is held by the Gharapuri Gram Panchayat and covers the period from August 19, 2016, to March 31, 2026.

MMB calculated that each stall owner owes ₹4,58,705 in lease rent alongside ₹82,567 in Goods and Services Tax. Under the proposed terms, once the five-year lease period expires, the stalls will be auctioned through an open tender process, though existing occupants will receive the first right to match the highest bid.

Traders responding to the Board stated that while they are willing to pay a fair and reasonable rent, they cannot accept the demanded amount. The current annual rent, which was increased in 2021, stands at ₹50,460 plus ₹9,083 in GST, totalling ₹59,543 per year.

Baliram Thakur, the sarpanch of the Elephanta Gram Panchayat, confirmed that all 130 stalls on the island received eviction notices and noted that 12 stalls were demolished on July 13. Thakur said islanders rely entirely on tourists for their livelihood, with stall numbers growing from 69 in 2015 to 130 today to support expanding families. He stated that stall owners had repeatedly approached MMB to pay rent over the years, but their proposals were never accepted.

On July 13, local traders submitted a proposal to MMB offering to pay dues in instalments, requesting a re-measurement of their shops and rent calculations based on government ready reckoner rates. Stall owners have also requested a joint meeting with villagers, Gram Panchayat representatives, MMB officials, state ministers, and elected representatives to formulate a comprehensive policy for the island's commercial stalls.