At Cuffe Parade, Rs 25 lakh ocean homes!
Locals say they lodged hundreds of issues with the Collector regarding the illegal reclamation and encroachment since 1997 but very little has been accomplished about them


The encroachment stretches from Badhwar Park to the Taj President Hotel, Cuffe Parade. Pics/Shadab Khan





An illegally reclaimed location of around 100-acres concerning Nariman Place and Cuffe Parade has been progressively encroached on by the slum mafias above the previous number of many years. This encroachment obtained momentum in the course of the lockdown when the mafias expanded their business by generating multi-storey slums. In a observe of worry, this space in close proximity to Badhwar Park jetty is the place Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab entered the metropolis for the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.
Locals assert to have lodged hundreds of grievances with the Collector concerning the unlawful reclamation and encroachment. The Cuffe Parade Residents’ Affiliation (CPRA), several specific residents and locals have complained due to the fact 1997 but “no action has been taken until day,” they allege.
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The vice-president of CPRA, Mohit Chaturvedi, advised mid-working day the mafias have encroached on the land, sea and sky. He reported, “They (slum mafias) have not only illegally reclaimed land from the sea but also mushroomed on the land and turned their 1 area residences into multi-storey properties. There are each day excavations in the sea near Cuffe Parade reverse Badhwar Park and they look to be for the construction of unauthorised hutments and shanties.”

Former Secretary Common of CPRA Padmakar Nandekar reported, “I have submitted extra than 100 issues to the Collector of Mumbai but no motion has been taken in opposition to the slum mafias. The slum mafias illegally reclaimed land from the sea in advance of making rooms. The shanties mushroomed all through lockdown.”

‘A nocturnal activity’

Nandekar even more informed mid-day, “The mafias turn into super lively at evening. Over all, the construction elements like sand, cement, bricks, asbestos sheets, rods, etc. are carried to the development site when there is a significant tide. The slum mafias and local goons, less than the garb of community fishermen, have encroached on the backyard region whose sub plot numbers are 101, 102, 103, 104 in the Growth Strategy of Mumbai valid till 2023.”

Locals declare they have been complaining about the unlawful reclamation and encroachment due to the fact the 1990s

“The slum mafias provide the construction resources in their vans and it is further more carried on boats or hathgaadi. The landing details for these mafias are the Fireplace Brigade station around Nariman Position and Captain Prakash Pethe Marg, guiding CPRA Backyard garden,” he extra.

The executive committee member of CPRA and in-charge of the Bay Perspective Marina Backyard Parul Nandekar said, “We produced a beautiful yard on the collector’s land and prevented the encroachment on 7-acre land in which we planted 16,000 trees. The slum goons have their eyes on this back garden also and short term structures have been made, but the collector is not getting action versus the illegal actions.”

‘Highly financially rewarding business’

The household room in Cuffe Parade is one of the costliest in the environment as the value of 1 sqft of land may differ concerning Rs 60,000 and Rs 1.20 lakh. “After bribing the local administration, it fees all-around Rs 5 lakh to construct a 500 sqft room in the location and the mafias promote it for Rs 25 lakh. So it is a hugely successful company. The proprietors additional furnish the home of even 100 sqft to hire it out for Rs 10,000 for every thirty day period,” claimed Nandekar, who is also the secretary of Jalkiran developing in Cuffe Parade. Nandekar further extra that in a bid to make pillars in the sea, “the slum mafias use distinctive high quality cement which is made use of in generating sea one-way links.”


Chaturvedi reported, “We have found that in Machimaar Nagar and Shiv Shastri Nagar, there has been rampant and frenetic unlawful design activity in the previous a single year but additional so in the previous 8-12 months, from March. There are now instantly 4-storey cement constructions getting built, like flats with amenities and features like air conditioning and the will work.”

“This can trigger a grave menace to Mumbai as we have viewed in the earlier, these kinds of as the terrorist assaults. We are extremely worried about the safety of our residents and the citizens of Mumbai. Such illegal constructions are not only in violation of the CRZ but most importantly harmful to the ecosystem. These unlawful constructions also hurt the mangroves guarding the coast and can have an impression on Cuffe Parade and the town of Mumbai before we know it,” Chaturvedi explained.

He also pointed that Cuffe Parade has significant website traffic all the time which has considerably amplified thanks to the place captured by these illegal shops and establishments which include the garages.

Officials occupied and unaware

When mid-day contacted Collector Rajeev Nivatkar regarding the concern, he reported, “I am chaotic in a meeting with the chief minister.” Extra Collector Anita Meshram Wankhede claimed, “I have joined the place of work rarely six months ago. So I have no strategy if any complaint has been created to the Collector business. I require to check out and permit you know.”










