Bombay HC protects church land from BMC acquisition

The Bombay High Court has stopped the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) from acquiring land belonging to a church in Vile Parle for a planned road. The court found that the church has legitimate ownership of the land. Justices Ajay Gadkari and Kamal Khata issued a temporary injunction, protecting the church's possession. The court criticized the BMC for its inconsistent handling of land issues. While the BMC often creates schemes to help squatters and trespassers, it took a different approach with the church, which legally owns its land and building. The judges pointed out that BMC had previously offered alternative land to the church but later withdrew that offer. The Pentecostal Mission Society, which owns the church, filed a petition against BMC’s notices from April 2019. The notices aimed to acquire part of the church's land and nearly 60% of the church itself for road construction. The Society sought the intervention of the Chief Minister, who directed the BMC to consider adjusting the road's alignment. In response to the situation, the High Court had reprimanded the BMC for failing to follow the Chief Minister's orders. The court also confirmed that BMC is looking into the actions of its officials involved in the case. In a recent ruling, the judges affirmed the Society’s legal rights to the land and criticized BMC for not adhering to its previous commitments.