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The Bombay High Court has ordered a formal survey and demarcation of the University of Mumbai's Kalina campus land, instructing the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai to remove encroachments identified after the process. The university had challenged a slum rehabilitation plan, claiming slum dwellers had occupied land earmarked for institutional expansion. The court allowed the university to withdraw its petition while safeguarding its land rights. Past disputes involved developer appointments, revenue record issues, and interim project stays. Parties may still legally contest the demarcation.
The Bombay High Court has directed the city survey officer to demarcate the University of Mumbai's Kalina campus land and asked the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai to remove any encroachments found after the process. This order came after the university withdrew its petition challenging a slum rehabilitation scheme on the property. Advertisement
The university had initially approached the court claiming that slum dwellers had encroached on land meant for expansion. The state had agreed in 1962 to provide land for the university, acquired parcels in 1974, and issued an official allotment letter (sanad) in 1987. However, the university's name was never officially recorded in the revenue records.
According to the petition, two housing societies, Galaxy Heights and Yogiraj Asram, had entered into a development agreement with Track Estates. The Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) issued a letter of intent in mid-2022, appointing the developer to carry out the rehabilitation. The university contended that the land could not be repurposed for slum rehabilitation and that its transfer between private entities was illegal.
Previous interventions included the Andheri tehsildar removing the developer's name from revenue records in October 2023, and the SRA's Apex Grievance Redressal Committee halting the project in early 2024 due to title concerns. In mid-2025, the high court had emphasized that the land, spread across at least 20 plots, could not be used for rehabilitation simply because the state had not cleared encroachments or handed over possession to the university. The court had restrained the developer from acting on the SRA's letter of intent at that time.
During the recent hearing, the university's counsel requested permission to demarcate the land according to the 1987 sanad and informed the court of instructions to withdraw the petition. The bench allowed the withdrawal and directed the demarcation to proceed. The Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai was instructed to take legal steps to remove any encroachments identified after demarcation. The court also clarified that all parties, including the developer, are free to legally challenge the demarcation.
This move provides clarity on ownership and possession while ensuring that any development or rehabilitation on the land follows proper legal procedures. The case highlights ongoing tensions between institutional land expansion and urban housing needs, underlining the need for lawful and transparent resolution of encroachments in Mumbai.
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