The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has intensified its efforts to eliminate unauthorized constructions across Mumbai’s ecologically sensitive western suburbs, demolishing a series of illegal buildings in Versova and Madh. In a concerted move led by the K-West and P-North ward offices, civic authorities have taken down 15 structures in total this past week and are preparing to raze at least 120 more.
The demolition spree began in Versova, where five unauthorized buildings—Kutur House, Sai Shraddha Nivas, Naga House, Zhemane House, and Ganesh Sagar—were torn down for violating CRZ (Coastal Regulation Zone) norms. Officials confirmed that these buildings had been constructed within the last year on marshy terrain, a violation compounded by their refusal to comply with multiple notices from the civic body. BMC officials noted that these structures, ranging from single to five-storey buildings, were not only illegal but also posed severe safety risks due to their unstable foundations on reclaimed land. The demolition in Versova, however, is just the tip of the iceberg, as civic inspections have identified 35 more buildings in the same locality that are also marked for demolition in the coming days.
Meanwhile, a parallel operation in Madh—an area equally prone to environmental degradation—has uncovered a larger and more complex web of illegal development. On May 5, a bungalow named ‘Preet’ was demolished in Erangal village. This marked the beginning of a broader campaign, as nine additional structures, built using falsified CRZ clearance maps, were razed on Friday in the Erangal and Walnai areas. The P-North ward office reported that a total of 130 unauthorized constructions had sprung up in Madh over the past year, many of them allegedly based on tampered documents. Of these, 101 are now set to be demolished by the end of May.
The BMC has emphasized that these actions form part of a comprehensive crackdown not only on land misuse but also on environmental violations that threaten Mumbai’s fragile coastal ecology. Officials stated that strict legal actions, including criminal charges, may be initiated against those responsible for building or sanctioning these constructions. With growing urbanization encroaching into protected zones, the civic body’s proactive approach has been welcomed by environmentalists and local residents alike. The ongoing demolitions aim to restore balance between development and sustainability, sending a strong message to those attempting to sidestep the law.