An illegal mosque built on land reserved for public use in Maharashtra’s Bhayander East was demolished by the Municipal Corporation on Monday (June 8) morning, bringing to an end a long-running controversy surrounding encroachments on a civic plot in the Azadnagar area.
The anti-encroachment operation was carried out under heavy police deployment as civic authorities reclaimed the reserved land after completing legal formalities. Officials said the structure had stood on Municipal Corporation land for nearly two decades and was among several encroachments that had occupied the plot over the years.
The disputed property is located on Municipal Corporation reserved Plot No. 122 in Azadnagar, Bhayander East.
According to civic officials, large-scale encroachments had gradually come up on the plot over the years. These included hutments, warehouses, commercial establishments and the mosque that later became the centre of controversy.
The issue gained prominence after authorities proposed constructing a Balasaheb Thackeray Art Hall on the reserved land. Following the proposal, the Municipal Corporation initiated a drive to clear encroachments and reclaim the plot for public use.
While parts of the land were cleared during earlier phases of the anti-encroachment campaign, several structures remained due to logistical and legal challenges.
Authorities intensified efforts to remove encroachments after a major fire broke out in the adjoining slum area nearly three years ago.
The blaze reportedly claimed two lives and prompted the administration to reassess safety conditions in the encroached settlement.
Subsequently, most of the hutments and other unauthorised structures were removed. However, the mosque continued to remain on the reserved plot, becoming the focal point of an increasingly contentious debate.
For several years, the existence of the mosque on the reserved land remained a subject of public and political debate.
Civic authorities maintained that all encroachments on reserved public land, irrespective of their nature, had to be removed in accordance with the law.
Municipal officials repeatedly asserted that the land was earmarked for public infrastructure and that no unauthorised structure could be permitted to occupy it indefinitely.
Following legal scrutiny and the completion of administrative procedures, authorities decided to proceed with the demolition.
The operation began early on Monday (June 8) morning under tight security arrangements.
A large police force was deployed in and around the area to prevent any law-and-order issues and to ensure that the anti-encroachment drive could proceed without disruption.
Officials said a tense atmosphere prevailed briefly as the operation commenced, given the sensitivity of the issue and the long-standing dispute surrounding the site.
However, authorities managed the situation without any major incident.
The demolition operation was completed by approximately 10:30 am, after which the entire plot was vacated and brought under civic control.
With the removal of the mosque, authorities said the Municipal Corporation has now fully reclaimed the reserved plot after years of encroachment-related disputes.
Officials indicated that the cleared land can now be utilised for the public purpose for which it was originally reserved.
The action is being viewed as part of a broader anti-encroachment drive aimed at recovering public land and ensuring that civic infrastructure projects are not hindered by unauthorised occupations.
