HC questions BMC, SRA over shifting stand on Worli STP land

The court’s query comes after Worli Urban Development Project LLP claimed that the authorities are no longer seeking to take over the land, even though the demolition of the existing transit camp on the land has already begun

MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court on Friday asked the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) to explain why they have changed their position on acquiring a 17,756 sq.m plot for a sewage treatment plant (STP) in Worli.

HC questions BMC, SRA over shifting stand on Worli STP land. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The court’s query comes after Worli Urban Development Project LLP claimed that the authorities are no longer seeking to take over the land, even though the demolition of the existing transit camp on the land has already begun.

“This is a shocking development. Some kind of corruption has reached its finality”, the developer said, adding that officials visited the site on March 24 to identify the reserved land but altered the boundaries, leaving out the transit camp area. “We have demolished half of the structure. Now they come and tell us that they don’t want this transit camp area anymore. How can they, after filing complaints and getting the court to intervene, do this?”

The BMC however clarified that the reduced area does not fit their requirements. “The requirement seems to be of a larger area than the 17,000”, it said, adding that it intends to reassess the land requirement.

The case stems from a redevelopment project of the Worli Urban Development Project on municipal land to rehabilitate people from the Jeejamata Cooperative Housing Society (CHS), Shree Vivekananda Nagar CHS, Veer Jeejamata Nagar CHS, and Mata Ramabai Nagar CHS.

In December 2024, the BMC objected to the construction of transit buildings on land reserved for the Worli STP, noting that the developer might encroach upon the STP land where piling work had already begun. Despite this, the SRA permitted the construction of seven transit buildings in April 2025.

However, on December 26, 2025, the SRA issued a stop-work notice, claiming the construction was illegal. This prompted the developer to approach the high court. It claimed that originally the reserved land area was 27,698.10 sq.m. However, the court was informed in February that the housing department had reduced the land initially demarcated for the expansion of the STP plant to 17,756-sq-mtr. On February 23, the court allowed the BMC to utilise the area of 17,756-sq-m land, and said that the balance area would require further consideration.

Following this, on March 24, the BMC and the SRA officers allegedly visited the site reserved for the STP and “changed their stance on the reserved land”. Expressing its shock, the developer on Friday said, “How did they change their minds about this? Something obviously happened in the last three days. They were so interested in the land earlier, now they don’t want it after three months?“

Taking note of the inconsistent stance, a division bench of justices MS Karnik and SM Modak told the BMC, “One day you take one stand, other day you’ll take another stand. Your stand has to be very clear. By the next hearing, you tell us the reason for the change in stance,” and posted the matter for further hearing on April 6.