Tension flares up inside Mumbai's SGNP over eviction drive

Mumbai: Amid the anti-encroachment and eviction drive in the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) in Mumbai during which tensions flared up, the Maharashtra Forest Department (MFD) and the national park’s administration clarified that it is being done in compliance with the orders of the Bombay High Court and its appointed High Power Committee (HPC).

The SGNP is considered the green lung of Mumbai and is home to a large number of animal and bird species.

Those being evicted are tribals/adivasis, and NGOs and other groups, are pointing out that such actions undermined the Forest Rights Act (FRA).

However, the SGNP administration that these are the 385 encroacher families who had already been allotted tenements and have once again encroached upon forest land and living within the forest.

The eviction has been suggested by a HPC of the Bombay High Court which is headed by Justice Dilip Bhosale (Retd), former Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court, Nitin Kareer, former Chief Secretary, Maharashtra, Subodh Kumar Jaiswal, former Director General of Police, Maharashtra and Anitta Patil, Conservator of Forests and Director, SGNP, Borivali who is the Member Secretary.

The entire issue dates back to 1987, when the Bombay High Court directed that all encroachments on forest land within SGNP be removed and stipulated that those persons residing within the Protected Area and whose names appeared on the electoral roll as on 1 January 1995 would be considered for rehabilitation.

Subsequently, an administrative cost of Rs 7,000 per family was prescribed, as eligible encroachers were initially proposed to be rehabilitated at Shirdon near Kalyan.

Thereafter, it was decided to relocate eligible encroacher families to Chandivali, Powai, Mumbai.

Under Phase I of the rehabilitation programme, more than 11,000 eligible families were allotted tenements at Chandivali.

However, 299 families could not be rehabilitated due to non-availability of constructed tenements and were earmarked for rehabilitation under Phase II.

As the directions issued by the High Court in 1997 were not fully complied with, a Contempt Petition was filed and remains pending.

The HPC has held several meetings and consultations with all concerned authorities and stakeholders like DBS Realty, SRA, MHADA, CIDCO, MMRDA, AAI, BMC, Collector, Mumbai Suburban District, Forest Department and Police Department involved in the rehabilitation process.

During these deliberations, it came to light that approximately 385 encroacher families who had already been allotted tenements at Chandivali under Phase I have once again encroached upon forest land and living within SGNP.

“As these persons had already availed of the rehabilitation benefits extended to them by the State Government as per the orders of the High Court, their return to encroach upon forest land constitutes blatant misuse of the rehabilitation scheme and the sympathetic view taken by the state government. Accordingly, their immediate eviction has been ordered by the HPC, as a first step towards eventual rehabilitation of all eligible families in full compliance with the orders of the court,” the SGNO said.

Notices regarding their eviction were duly published at all relevant locations on 17 January 2026 and all concerned have been informed to vacate the premises on their own.

“It must be emphasized that unless persons who have misused the rehabilitation scheme are evicted, other eligible families who have been awaiting rehabilitation for a long period will continue to be deprived of the benefits envisaged under the Court’s order of 1997, despite the best efforts of the Government and the SGNP administration to ensure compliance,” it said.