Revenue Minister Announces Immediate Recovery of 26,900 sqm Excess Land
Mumbai – The Maharashtra revenue department announced on Thursday that it will swiftly reclaim 26,900 square metres of government land that was improperly folded into a private redevelopment project in Kandivali (West).
The revelation came after Assembly member Haroon Khan asked a starred question about the 27‑acre plot originally reserved for Mathadi labourers. Revenue Minister Chandra Shekhar Bawankule clarified that the district collector will be directed to retrieve the extra acreage, which had been added to the scheme without any prior permission.
Historically, Survey No. 149 in Borivali taluka earmarked the 27 acres for a cloth market and a shop‑booking board. The parcel was later transferred to the "Vishal Sahyadri Sahakari Awas Samiti". Of the total area, 11,254 sq m were allocated to the society, a small 334‑sq m plot for a Ganesh temple, 2,000 sq m for the Rayat Education Institution, while the remaining 99,116 sq m were leased to the society as well.
When the land was re‑classified from second‑ to first‑category, the government collected a premium of ₹42.07 crore and stamp duty of ₹74.09 crore. The minister noted that waivers on construction timelines, conversion of the land for commercial use, and subsequent transfers violated the original terms. While ₹21.67 crore have already been recovered to rectify some of the breaches, further irregularities persist.
The Pune‑based Inspector General of Registration has been tasked with examining stamp‑duty discrepancies within the next 15 days. Meanwhile, a detailed report on any low‑level manipulation will be submitted to the state within a week to ten days.
Because the 26,900‑sq m addition was made without the district collector’s consent, it is considered a serious violation. The minister ordered immediate occupation of the land.
Assurances were given that current residents of the constructed housing societies will retain full security of tenure. The state is also exploring the possibility of granting freehold status to these plots, thereby providing occupants with absolute ownership.
MLA Yogesh Sagar raised concerns about the outstanding housing needs of Mathadi workers, citing that roughly 1,250‑1,300 families reside in the area and many children’s applications remain pending. He urged that the newly identified land be used to build dwellings for the workers rather than being absorbed by developers.
Minister Bawankule responded that, while the illegal acquisition will be reversed, the government remains committed to delivering justice for Mathadi labourers. Meetings with the concerned society and the MLA are planned, and the administration stands ready to allocate land for 1,600‑2,000 new homes after the appropriate premiums are collected, without compromising the rights of the original Mathadi beneficiaries.