The Bombay High Court has come down strongly on the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) for allowing itself to be influenced by extraneous and political pressures in relation to a slum redevelopment project in Mumbai’s Vile Parle. A division bench comprising Justices GS Kulkarni and Arif Doctor observed that the SRA had abdicated its statutory responsibilities by entertaining repeated complaints and objections raised by BJP MLA Parag Alavani, thereby obstructing the execution of a legally sanctioned rehabilitation project. The court made it clear that such conduct was not only contrary to the spirit of the law but also undermined the fundamental purpose for which the Slums Act was enacted.
The judges noted that the Slums Act was never meant to serve the interests of developers or politicians but was specifically designed as a welfare legislation to protect slum dwellers. Its primary object, the court reiterated, was to ensure that people compelled to live in poverty, filth, and squalor are provided with decent, hygienic, and secure living conditions. The Act also guarantees protection against eviction without proper rehabilitation. Unlike regular real estate ventures, slum rehabilitation projects serve an overriding public purpose, with the slum dwellers themselves being the true and primary beneficiaries of such schemes. Developers, in this framework, are only facilitators of a social and statutory responsibility.
In its strongly worded order, the bench expressed regret that despite numerous judicial pronouncements clarifying the objectives of the Slums Act, authorities such as the SRA routinely ignore or forget these principles. The court pointed out that time and again, the SRA appears to act in the interests of developers or in response to political interference, rather than prioritising the welfare of slum residents. This has led to frequent delays in rehabilitation projects, often because of the competing claims of rival developers or unnecessary obstructions created through extrajudicial interventions. The judges remarked that the present case is yet another example of this disturbing pattern of conduct.
The dispute centred on a slum rehabilitation project concerning land in the Vile Parle area, where a builder named Sateri had been appointed in November 2020 by the Shree Gurukrupa CHS, a society of slum dwellers. The SRA had granted permission for the project, subject to the additional condition that the builder also redevelop an adjoining slum. The builder agreed, and a Letter of Intent (LOI) was issued on May 4, 2022. Although some dissenting slum dwellers challenged the plan, the dispute reached the Supreme Court, which upheld the permissions granted to the developer.
Despite this, the petitioner builder, represented by advocate Anil Sakhre, alleged that BJP MLA Parag Alavani had continued to interfere with the project by sending letters to various authorities, raising objections that had already been resolved in earlier proceedings. Sakhre contended that such actions systematically stalled the project at every stage and prevented the SRA from discharging its statutory functions. He argued that Alavani’s conduct amounted to nothing more than a repetition of issues that had been conclusively decided, thereby undermining the entire rehabilitation process.
The SRA, for its part, denied acting under political influence. However, the High Court observed that the agency’s conduct, including a letter written as recently as July 31, 2025, suggested otherwise. The bench remarked that this communication lent weight to the petitioner’s contention that the SRA was not fulfilling its statutory obligations in good faith but was instead actively stymieing the project. Moreover, the court noted that both Alavani and another respondent in the case had not directly denied the allegations of interference, further strengthening the impression that political pressure had played a role in delaying the scheme.
In its concluding directions, the High Court restrained the SRA and all concerned authorities from entertaining any further complaints, objections, or interventions from MLA Alavani in relation to the Vile Parle project. The court ordered the SRA to issue the necessary Commencement Certificate to the petitioner developer for the rehabilitation component of the project without further delay. Additionally, the bench directed all relevant authorities to ensure the smooth and unhindered implementation of the slum rehabilitation scheme, thereby prioritising the welfare and rights of the slum dwellers who stand to benefit from the redevelopment.
The ruling not only clears the way for the project in Vile Parle but also serves as a broader reminder to statutory bodies that their primary allegiance must remain to the law and to the welfare of citizens, not to external influences or private interests.
