Over 1,200 illegal huts razed along GMLR in Mankhurd, families left homeless

A government officer said the administration has been relying on satellite imagery since 2011 to identify unauthorised constructions. “With the help of modern technology, similar encroachments will be identified and acted upon promptly in the future,” the officer said

MUMBAI: Under a harsh Wednesday sun, hundreds of families in Annabhau Sathe Nagar in Mankhurd watched their homes come down in a matter of hours as authorities carried out one of the city’s largest anti-encroachment drives along the Ghatkopar–Mankhurd Link Road. For many, belongings lay scattered in the open, with no immediate clarity on rehabilitation.

iMumbai, India - April 08, 2026: Thousands of slum structures demolished at Anna Bhau Sathe Nagar during a major civic action drive, leaving many residents displaced. in Mumbai, India, on Wednesday, April 08, 2026. (Photo by Satish Bate/ Hindustan Times) (Hindustan Times)

More than 1,200 illegal huts were demolished across nearly 11 acres of government land, officials said. The operation, undertaken on the orders of Mumbai Suburban Collector Saurabh Katiyar in coordination with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), was carried out amid heavy police deployment.

Authorities said the land had been encroached upon for several years, but action was delayed due to the administrative burden of conducting successive elections, parliamentary, assembly and civic.

A government officer said the administration has been relying on satellite imagery since 2011 to identify unauthorised constructions. “With the help of modern technology, similar encroachments will be identified and acted upon promptly in the future,” the officer said.

Mumbai Suburban co-guardian minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha said the cleared land would be used to develop an “Adivasi Srushti” and a “Science Park”.

Lodha also alleged that land mafias have increasingly occupied government land in Mumbai and its suburbs through unauthorised constructions. “In many cases, it has been observed that Bangladeshi and Rohingya individuals receive protection with the support of local elements. Such areas often become hubs for illegal narcotics trade and other anti-social activities. Similar large-scale unauthorised constructions have also been identified in Malad and Malvani, where strict action is underway,” he said.

The demolition drive at Annabhau Sathe Nagar was conducted under tight security, with Mumbai Police deployed in large numbers to prevent any law-and-order issues.

Around 400 personnel participated in the operation, including revenue, police and civic officials such as additional collector (Encroachment/Removal) Padmakar Rokade, deputy collector Asha Tamkhede, sub-divisional officer Kalpana Gode, assistant commissioner (Encroachment) Ujjwal Ingole, and officers from the BMC and Public Works Department.