Panel headed by retired justice to decide on 423 religious structures in Dharavi

A high-level committee was constituted on October 4, 2024, under the chairmanship of a retired chief justice and comprises seven members. A survey conducted by the committee identified 423 religious structures in Dharavi, including 199 temples, 53 mosques, 9 Buddhist viharas, 29 churches, 8 dargahs, 64 madrasas and 61 other religious places

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government on Monday informed the legislative council that a decision on the removal, relocation or regularisation of 423 religious structures in Dharavi will be taken by a high-level committee headed by a retired chief justice of the Allahabad High Court. Hearings for 52 of the 423 structures have been completed so far, the government said.

Panel headed by retired justice to decide on 423 religious structures in Dharavi

BJP MLC Prasad Lad raised the issue of unauthorised religious structures in Dharavi through a calling attention motion, stating that despite court orders directing the removal of four mosques, including the Madina mosque in Dharavi, no action had been taken so far. He sought clarity on what action the government planned to take against unauthorised structures.

Replying to the motion, minister Shambhuraj Desai said decisions on the four mosques and other religious structures would be taken by the committee constituted as per guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court of India. He said the committee would decide whether the structures should be removed, relocated or regularised.

Desai said the high-level committee was constituted on October 4, 2024, under the chairmanship of a retired chief justice and comprises seven members. A survey conducted by the committee identified 423 religious structures in Dharavi, including 199 temples, 53 mosques, 9 Buddhist viharas, 29 churches, 8 dargahs, 64 madrasas and 61 other religious places.

“The committee has held 10 meetings so far and completed hearings for 52 religious structures. The report is being submitted in phases, based on which further action will be taken,” Desai said.

Responding to Lad’s query on why the four mosques had not yet been removed despite court orders, Desai said the committee would examine those structures as well and action would be taken in accordance with its recommendations.

He added that details regarding specific structures raised by members would be sought from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) commissioner, and the government would verify court orders related to such structures before referring the cases to the committee for a final decision.