50 illegal structures razed inside Versova mangroves

MUMBAI: After receiving complaints from Yari Road residents about encroachments at Versova mangroves, the district collector on Tuesday demolished 50 illegal structures — 17 pucca structures and 38 tin shanties — from a 10-acre plot behind the Central Institute of Fisheries Education in Panch Marg.

Officials also dug trenches for fences to prevent encroachers from returning.

“Our team undertook a demolition drive at the private mangrove forest after the district collector issued permissions to remove illegal structures. The trenches have been dug so that no vehicles can enter this mangrove patch and we are awaiting final permission to construct fences that will cordon off this entire area,” said Satyanarayan Bajaj, deputy collector, Mumbai suburban.

While district officials said they had no record of when the shanties came up, local residents said they were first constructed in 2008 with the help of local politicians.

Earlier this year, HT along with residents had visited the mangrove patch and found illegal homes that had direct-tohome television services, electricity supply, and mobile toilets. Residents of these shanties also had voter cards. At the time, the district administration said it removed over 60 structures but they resurfaced within two months.

“Circle officers will be visiting the site daily to monitor whether any of these encroachers try to rebuild the shanties. We have also informed the police about increasing patrols in this area,” said Bajaj.

He added that there were a few more structures yet to be demolished closer to the creek. “With

more manpower, all other structures will be removed within a month,” said Bajaj.

The move comes five days after a miscreant was fined ₹20,000 for debris dumping at the same patch. On July 21, HT had reported that residents had filed complaints about 1,000 tonnes of debris dumped in the mangrove. Residents welcomed the action by the district administration but questioned why some

structures were not removed yet. “While all structures were removed behind the fisheries college, we were informed that a local politician reached the creek area and managed to stay the proceedings. We asked the circle officers to go ahead with the demolition but they said they would return later this month with more manpower,” said Suneet Gandhi, member of the Yari Road Bachao group.