The Mobai Gaothan Panchayat (MGP), which advocates for the indigenous East Indian community, has vociferously opposed a recent survey notice issued by the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA). They claim this effort seeks to label long-established Gaothans as “slums” and funnel them into redevelopment schemes.
MGP reached out to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Andheri West MLA Ameet Satam, urging them to immediately retract the SRA notices targeting Gaothans.
The notices were affixed in regions such as Chakala, Sahar, Bamanwada, Ambivali, and Kalina-Vakola, outlining at least 128 clusters without specifying house numbers. This vagueness has frustrated residents, whose families have inhabited these lands for generations, viewing the notice more as a land grab than governance.
According to a public notice from Dr. Mohan Naladkar, the competent authority at SRA, the notice stated: “A survey of all hutments in the cluster will be conducted by the Slum Rehabilitation Authority. Each structure will be assigned a number, and 360-degree videography will be performed, followed by a biometric survey. This initiative is strictly under SRA’s purview, with no ties to any developers or private agencies. Residents’ legal rights will remain intact, and there will be no fees for the survey process. We urge residents to stay home and cooperate with officials during the survey.”
The East Indian community, long engaged in preserving their Gaothan identity, sees this initiative as a threat to their heritage. “This is not rehabilitation; it’s dispossession,” said MGP chief Alphi D’Souza. “Gaothans and Koliwadas are ancestral homes with rightful ownership. You can’t simply declare us slum dwellers.”
‘Survey today, bulldozers tomorrow’
The SRA’s notice aims to survey Gaothan areas that predate Mumbai’s urban expansion, but locals fear this is just a prelude to labeling these areas as ‘eligible slums,’ setting the stage for redevelopment schemes.
Residents worry that such projects reduce homes to tiny rehab flats, simultaneously opening prime land for luxury developments. “The notice, dated November 2025, was only posted recently—this all begins with paperwork before developers step in,” explained Joan Gonsalves, sarpanch of Chakala. “Survey today, eviction tomorrow. If this isn’t targeted towards Gaothans, then why the lack of specific addresses?”
The community initially raised objections to the ‘slum’ classification in 2013 during the drafting of the Development Plan (DP) and again in 2015, stressing that the draft still categorized all Gaothans and Koliwadas as slums.
‘Legally flawed’
Gaothans should not be classified as informal settlements; they are historic villages featuring churches, community spaces, and close-knit neighborhoods that form the core of Mumbai’s cultural identity. Activists argue that grouping them with slums is both legally and socially problematic.
A senior member stated, “MGP’s goal is to protect East Indian culture, language, tradition, history, and identity. Gaothans represent a rich heritage and are integral to the identity of Mumbai’s indigenous population, the Bhumiputra East Indian Samaj.”
“These lands are ours. We have titles, lineage, and an established history here,” D’Souza asserted. “Labeling us as encroachers is unacceptable. We’re disheartened by the ongoing targeting of our Gaothans by the state government and the municipal corporation. MGP has been working for over 15 years to safeguard Gaothans; we’ve partially succeeded but have more work to do. In the coming weeks, the MGP Managing Committee will convene to strategize a way forward.”
‘Consult first, don’t impose’
“The government cannot redefine our existence through bureaucratic means. We demand an immediate withdrawal of the notice and respect for Gaothan rights,” D’Souza added. The MGP is prepared to explore all avenues, including legal action and protests, should the survey advance.
This confrontation reflects growing tensions in Mumbai’s older communities, where redevelopment is often met with skepticism. While SRA projects promise improved housing, residents cite delays, cramped spaces, and loss of community amenities as harsh realities. “Developers benefit. Locals suffer,” summed up one Sahar Cluster resident.
