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Bombay High Court Slams BMC Over Road Encroachments, Calls Situation ‘Serious’
The Bombay High Court has strongly reprimanded the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for the increasing encroachment on Mumbai roads. The court expressed concern that if this continues, people may have to use bicycles or horses in the future. The court questioned the BMC's inaction and said that it appears helpless. The comment was made during the hearing of a petition filed by a school in Powai.
The Bombay High Court expressed concern regarding the increasing encroachment of public roads by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), saying it was a "serious" issue.
It said that in the future, residents will be forced to travel by bicycle and horses. The BMC should pay attention to the condition of the financial capital's roads.
A bench of Justices Ravindra Ghuge and Abhay Mantri expressed their concern about what would happen to Mumbai in the next two decades if this kind of encroachment and occupation continued. The court also criticized the local civic body, saying it seemed to be helpless and lacked the courage to act.
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The court said, "If illegal constructions are not stopped, in the future, people will be forced to use only two-wheelers, bicycles, or horses as the roads will be encroached upon by encroachers."
These remarks were made while hearing a petition filed by a school, which expressed concern over the inaction of the BMC in dealing with encroachments around the school in suburban Powai.
The bench asked civil officials how it was possible for illegal constructions to be built on the road, and it directed the concerned suburban commissioner to be present in court on Friday.
The court questioned whether the civic body was so helpless that it could not take action against encroachments.
It appears that the BMC lacks the will, courage, or resources to remove such encroachments. The bench expressed surprise that the BMC had provided drinking water supply and temporary toilet facilities on a road encroached by encroachers in Powai.
The court said, "Everywhere, only one or two lanes are left on the roads, and then there is a traffic jam. Vehicles cannot move...one person walks faster than the vehicles stuck in the jam."
The court said that people have limited time on this earth and every individual should strive to leave the environment and the city such that the next generation can benefit from it.
BMC lawyer Dhriti Kapadia assured the court that she would submit an affidavit specifying the timeframe within which the encroachments specified in the petition would be removed.
