MUMBAI: Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde stated in the legislative assembly on Monday that the Maharashtra government will not endorse any illegal constructions and will impose strict penalties on officials found complicit in permitting such structures.
Responding to a question from Parag Alavani (BJP) during the Question Hour, Shinde announced that instructions will be given to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) commissioner to compile a detailed inventory and categorization of illegal constructions in Mumbai.
“Any officer found protecting illegal constructions will face strict action,” warned Shinde, who oversees urban development and housing.
Members including Yogesh Sagar, Jitendra Awhad, Dilip Walse Patil, Varun Sardesai, Murji Patel, and Ajay Choudhary raised supplementary questions regarding this topic.
Shinde highlighted that several unauthorized constructions in the nearby Vasai-Virar region have already been demolished by the local municipal corporation, while some have been temporarily spared due to court stays obtained by their owners.
“Once the legal stays are lifted, those structures will also be demolished,” he confirmed.
He mentioned that the ongoing monsoon and people’s habitation have caused delays in taking immediate action on some unauthorized constructions but assured that demolition drives would recommence once the rainy season concludes.
Shinde cited an example of an unauthorized shed built on a BMC-owned plot in Vile Parle (East), which was demolished by the civic body on March 24, 2025. A subsequent complaint regarding an illegal parking facility on the same plot led the BMC to clear the encroachment on June 3.
Minister of State for Urban Development Madhuri Misal emphasized that actions against illegal constructions are being undertaken under the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning (MRTP) Act.
She encouraged members to report specific complaints from their constituencies to ensure that the relevant authorities can take necessary actions against unauthorized structures.
“Officials who fail to take action will be held accountable,” Misal asserted.
