HC raps MHADA for bowing to political pressure, clears Lokmanyanagar redevelopment

A division bench of Justices G S Kulkarni and Aarti Sathe quashed the stay imposed on Sunglory and Nutan Co-operative Housing Societies, calling MHADA’s actions “arbitrary, factually incorrect, and a colourable exercise of power”.

PUNE: The Bombay high court strongly criticised the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) for “succumbing to political interference” and illegally stalling redevelopment projects while clearing the way for two cooperative housing societies in Lokmanyanagar, Sadashiv Peth, to proceed with redevelopment.

HC raps MHADA for bowing to political pressure, clears Lokmanyanagar redevelopment

A division bench of Justices G S Kulkarni and Aarti Sathe quashed the stay imposed on Sunglory and Nutan Co-operative Housing Societies, calling MHADA’s actions “arbitrary, factually incorrect, and a colourable exercise of power”. The court said MHADA officials are answerable to “We the People” and cannot allow political pressure to override statutory duties.

The redevelopment had been halted after Kasba Peth MLA Hemant Rasane wrote to the chief minister suggesting a cluster redevelopment approach. A handwritten note by the chief minister — “grant stay until further orders” — was treated by MHADA officials as a blanket stay, even though Sunglory CHS had already received its NOC in April 2025 and Nutan CHS’s application was pending.

The HC bench observed that MHADA officials acted “with impunity” by freezing both projects without legal backing and criticised a letter issued to Nutan CHS for misrepresenting facts to justify the halt. Such actions, the bench held, violated residents’ rights under Articles 14 and 300A of the Constitution.

Advocate Ganesh Satpute, Pune Lokmanyanagar Bachav Kruti Samiti convenor, who had been fighting this legal battle over the past five months, said that redevelopment under the 2022 GR was already underway, with two buildings at the possession stage, when work was halted. Most of the buildings’ committee office bearers had obtained all necessary permissions and had signed memorandums with their respective developers. And the Pune Municipal Corporation was in the process of granting various other approvals when the two societies had to approach the court.

“The actions of MHADA amount to blatant goondaism, aimed at snatching away the lawful rights of the people. The Bombay high court’s stern observations have exposed MHADA, laying bare their arbitrary conduct before the eyes of the public. We have also raised serious questions about who was actually behind the MHADA action and whether it was acting in the interests of the builders’ lobby rather than the citizens,” Satpute said.

He further informed that the area involves 16.50 acre of prime urban land, valued at thousands of crores, with 53 cooperative societies registered there. Each society has completed its lease and conveyance deeds, and the sale deeds for the flats have been finalised — legal documents that are unbreakable. “The entire episode resembled a land mafia operation targeting the residents of Lokmanyanagar, attempting to undermine their rights and derail redevelopment,” Satpute added.

The ruling comes against the backdrop of repeated protests by local residents of Lokmanyanagar, a densely populated, old residential pocket in Sadashiv Peth, where many MHADA-era buildings are over 50–60 years old. Over the past year, residents of several societies had staged demonstrations, alleging that redevelopment was being deliberately blocked despite buildings being declared dilapidated. Protesters had directly blamed MLA Rasane for stalling projects, citing safety risks to senior citizens and families living in unsafe structures.

Lokmanyanagar consists largely of small MHADA and cooperative societies built decades ago, with narrow access roads and ageing infrastructure. Many buildings have been awaiting redevelopment approvals for years due to planning constraints and administrative delays.

During the hearing, MHADA’s counsel withdrew the impugned communications. The court declared Sunglory CHS’s NOC “legal, valid and subsisting”, allowing redevelopment to resume immediately, and directed MHADA to decide Nutan CHS’s pending application within 15 days. The court also reiterated that any intervention by the state government must follow the rules of business and statutory provisions under the MHADA Act, warning officials against acting on informal or political communications.

Legal experts say the judgment reinforces the principle that administrative authorities must act according to law and not be swayed by political pressure while protecting citizens’ fundamental rights. The court’s firm stance sends a clear message to bureaucrats and politicians alike that civil rights and statutory duties cannot be compromised.

For the residents of Sunglory and Nutan CHS, the judgment comes as a long-awaited green light for redevelopment, ending months of uncertainty and legal hurdles. The court’s ruling reiterates the importance of due process, statutory compliance, and accountability to “We the People,” ensuring that citizens’ rights take precedence over extra-legal influences.