NAVI MUMBAI: With the monsoon approaching and landslide risks mounting, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Commissioner-led committee has pulled up CIDCO for failing to act against illegal religious structures on Belapur Hill. The committee has now called for their immediate demolition under Supreme Court and High Court rulings.
During a meeting on March 11, the state-appointed committee noted that CIDCO had yet to act on an order from the Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission (MSHRC), issued on August 28, 2024, directing the removal of the structures.
NatConnect Foundation, which obtained a copy of the meeting minutes, warned that further delays could prove disastrous. “This is not about religion but public safety. Structures must be built in secure locations, not on unstable hill slopes,” said NatConnect Director B.N. Kumar.
The state government, through its October 21, 2025, order, has mandated municipal commissioners and district collectors to classify illegal religious structures under three categories—regularization, demolition, or relocation—based on court directives.
NatConnect pointed out that CIDCO had previously categorized the Belapur Hill temples for demolition in its submission to the MSHRC. The State Urban Development Department also filed an affidavit in agreement.
The MSHRC took suo moto notice of media reports highlighting residents’ fears of landslides and summoned the state government, police, CIDCO, and the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation for action.
On February 13, members of NatConnect Foundation and Save Belapur Hill Forum met with Municipal Commissioner Dr. Kailas Shinde, urging immediate measures to protect lives and property. The tragic landslide at Irshalwadi on July 19, 2023, which claimed over 90 lives, underscored the urgency of the situation.
Dr. Shinde, who presided over the committee, acknowledged these concerns and directed CIDCO to implement landslide prevention measures on Belapur Hill. The committee also instructed CIDCO to submit monthly action reports.
Residents living below the hill have already witnessed landslides, with damaged retaining walls serving as a warning. Ongoing deforestation and construction activity continue to loosen the soil, heightening the risk, warned Kapil Kulkarni and Himanshu Katkar of the Save Belapur Hill Forum.
