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The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has intensified action against unauthorised structures across several of its designated planning zones. Empowered under the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning (MRTP) Act, officers have now begun issuing formal notices, conducting hearings, and implementing orders as per a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). This move is part of a structured push to regulate urban development, discourage violations, and protect unsuspecting homebuyers from investing in illegal constructions. The crackdown spans key growth areas like Bhiwandi, Kalyan, BKC, Palghar, and more.
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has begun taking strict action against illegal constructions within its Special Planning Authority (SPA) zones. The authority has empowered designated officers under Section 53 of the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning (MRTP) Act, allowing them to take direct action against unauthorised buildings after following due legal process. Advertisement
The SOP introduces a clear step-by-step enforcement procedure. It starts with issuing notices to offenders, followed by conducting personal hearings, and ends with passing demolition or rectification orders. This formal process is being used to curb unauthorised development without compromising legal fairness.
This enforcement drive is active in several key areas including the Ambarnath-Badlapur-Karjat Special Node Area (AKBSNA), Bhiwandi, Kalyan Growth Centre, Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC), Oshiwara District Centre, Wadala Notified Area, and zones around the airport. MMRDA is also monitoring parts of Palghar and Alibaug where illegal developments have been reported.
Officials have stated that the aim is not just demolition but to introduce discipline in the construction process and urban expansion. They clarified that the intent behind the SOP is to ensure structured growth, not to target residents unfairly. The process is being positioned as a legal and administrative ?discipline drive? rather than a demolition campaign.
This crackdown comes after a policy introduced last year in Bhiwandi, which offered a route to legalisation for owners of unauthorised structures. Under the policy, applicants had to pay a penalty ranging from 20% to 100% of the base Ready Reckoner (RR) rate to regularise their properties. While hundreds of applications were received under this policy, only a small number were approved. Many were rejected due to incomplete documentation or failure to meet planning norms, and several remain under scrutiny.
The issue of unauthorised constructions has long plagued the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, particularly in fast-developing fringes like Vasai-Virar, Thane outskirts, and parts of Raigad district. These areas have seen frequent violations, sometimes resulting in structural collapses or safety hazards. The current initiative is a targeted attempt to bring these areas into the fold of planned, legal urban development.
The new SOP-based crackdown reflects MMRDA's commitment to holding developers accountable and safeguarding homebuyers from misleading or illegal projects. It is also intended to build transparency in urban governance and maintain order in zones where unchecked construction has grown over the years.
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