SC Gives Final Opportunity To Maha Govt To Remove Illegal Haji Ali Encroachments:- A last and final opportunity was granted by the Supreme Court to the Maharashtra government to remove illegal encroachments on 908 square metre area on the approach road and near the historic Haji Ali Dargah shrine in south Mumbai.

A two weeks time was granted by a bench comprising Chief Justice JS Khehar and Justice DY Chandrachud, to the concerned authorities, to remove these encroachments. It further asked the Deputy Collector to ensure that its order is complied with. The direction came after the Haji Ali Dargah trust, expressed its inability in completing the task. The trust had earlier volunteered to remove the encroachments.

The deputy collector of Colaba zone of south Mumbai was made clear by the court that, if its order for removing encroachments is not complied within two weeks from Monday, then “serious consequences” would take place.

The apex court, on May 9, lauded the efforts of the Dargah Trust in its attempts to remove encroachments. Constructed in 1431, the Haji Ali Dargah was built in the memory of a wealthy Muslim merchant, Sayyed Peer Haji Ali Shah Bukhari. Before making a pilgrimage to Mecca, he gave up all his possessions.
On April 13, the Trust had relented to the tough stand taken by the apex court, against the large-scale encroachments around the historic Mumbai mosque and volunteered to remove them by May 8. It is only when the apex court made it clear that only the mosque, located on an area of around 171 sq meter since 1931, would remain protected while the rest of the area, measuring 908 sq meter, has to be cleared of squatters, the offer to remove and demolish the encroachments had come.

Appreciating the offer, the bench subject to the satisfaction of two authorities indicated in February 10, order of the Bombay High Court, had allowed the trust to complete the task on or before May 8 . To remove the illegal encroachments on the approach road leading to the Haji Ali Dargah, the High Court had ordered the formation of a joint task force comprising the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai and the Collector. Seeking immediate removal of the encroachments on the approach road to the dargah which is located on the sea, the High Court was hearing a petition filed by Sahayak, a socio-legal and educational forum.

The land on the approach road to Haji Ali fell in the Collector’s jurisdiction and therefore the Collector should remove the encroachments, observed the The Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai.

SUPRAJA