BMC Calls Off Dharavi Mosque Demolition After Trustees Agree to Self-Removal of Alleged Illegal Structure
The alleged illegal portion of the Mehboob-E-Subhani mosque in Mumbai’s Dharavi locality was temporarily saved from the demolition drive by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) as the mosque’s trustees agreed to remove the disputed structure themselves. BMC had to withdraw the demolition action, which was set to go on in large-scale protests in the locality after it received both the residents and the mosque officials as its opponents. The incident marks the state of affairs at a particular juncture when civic authorities come into conflict with local communities at issues related to encroachment and urban development.
Clamour for Protest Spawns BMC to Put Demolition on Hold
A team of BMC, on Saturday, went to 90 Feet Road in Dharavi to pull down what has come to be known as an illegal extension of the Mehboob-E-Subhani mosque. The BMC officials said that the mosque is been running on public land and the trustees have been served with a notice to demolish the structure on their own. If the trustees fail to do so, the BMC was to demolish it.
But when BMC officials were to seize control of the land, hundreds of local residents along with the trustee of the mosque and others stood in front of this destruction. They came out as protest against the authenticity of the issue; they said that BMC’s notice and its following drive were not proposed. The protesters started stoning on the road leading towards the mosque and jammed the road, which restricted the BMC team to approach the site.
After the skirmish and ruckus between the protesters and BMC authorities, police intervention was necessary to avert rioting or violence. According to reports, a scuffle erupts between protesting activists and BMC officials during the protest and one of the civic body’s cars was vandalized.
Agreement by Trustees to Voluntarily Remove Illegal Portion
As the protest was gaining momentum, mosque trustees agreed to sit with the BMC officials and finally agreed to dismantle the illegal portion of the mosque themselves. A written statement was made by the trustees in BMC’s Deputy Commissioner of Circle 2 and Assistant Commissioner of G North Division that the structure encroached would be demolished within the next 4-5 days.
Accepting the seriousness of the intentions of the trustees to lift the matter, the BMC agreed to their appeal and called off the demolition process. In an official statement, the civic body confirmed encroachment at the mosque’s trustees would be removed within the time span assigned. In a statement, the BMC said that it has also instructed the trustees strongly that this illegal construction needs to be removed within the period of time agreed with them.
The official statement of the BMC related to the incident is as under
The BMC elaborated on the circumstances leading to the planned demolition and the ultimate resolution in its formal communication. Mehboob-E-Subhani mosque had encroached upon public land on 90 Feet Road, Dharavi, said the civic body. The BMC served a notice to the trustees of the mosque asking it to remove the encroachment. But when the mosques didn’t remove the structures, the BMC planned to dismantle it.
Given this context, the BMC also agreed to the tense situation arising out of the site. The protest and gathering of such a huge crowd forced the situation to a standoff between the civic officials and the local residents. This brought in change in the approach of the BMC for taking action against illegal construction in the precinct. This assurance by the mosque trustees in writing has amicably ended the confrontation, and BMC can now defer their action while still having the option to enforce if the removal is not done within the stipulated time.
Police on the street and crowd control
Tensions running high in the area, policemen were deployed in strength to oversee the protest without letting it turn violent. Police presence cooled down the situation though skirmishes between the protestors and the authorities were minor. Local reports said several protesters attempted to stop BMC officials from entering the mosque while others smashed a civic vehicle.
The police officials quoted the news wire while bringing out facts pertaining to their role in crowd control and how the mosque trustees finally agreed to the BMC. According to a PTI report, “A team of BMC officials from the G-North administrative ward reached 90 Feet Road in Dharavi around 9 am to demolish the alleged illegal portion of the Mehboob-E-Subhani masjid. Soon, a large number of residents gathered at the spot and stopped the civic officials from entering the lane where the mosque is located,” said a police official.
Wider Implications and Continuing Debate
This throws up an even larger issue: problems of encroachment and civic planning in such densely populated zones as Dharavi. Being one of the largest slums of Asia, Dharavi has been in the middle of controversy over illegal construction, land use, and infrastructural development for years. The latest incident marks a very complex relationship shared by civic authorities with local communities when it comes to urban planning.
The BMC has gone on a militant spate of action against the encroachments across the city of Mumbai, which has not witnessed its entire body resisting the drive. For the very reason that the demolitions ruin their lives and livelihoods, the residents have resisted this drive many times. However, the BMC says that illegal structures pose hazards to safety, cause obstruction in public spaces, and break the laws of the city planning.
The Mehboob-E-Subhani mosque case provided a stop-gap arrangement in the form of an agreement reached with the Trustees to voluntarily remove the encroachment. At the same time, the incident raises certain pertinent questions relating to balance between community needs and enforcement of urban regulations.
Conclusion: A Resolution for Now
On Wednesday, the BMC finally acted to put an end to the demolition of the illegal part of the Mehboob-E-Subhani mosque after protests; the trustees have agreed to self-demolish, which marks a peaceful resolution to what could have otherwise been a volatile situation. But even as the mosque trustees have promised the civic body that they would remove the encroachment in a few days, this promise remains to be seen. This brings home the continued challenge that Mumbai has to face, in regulating construction and land use, as opposed to disparate voices of its communities’ interests.
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