Coastal Land Scam Exposed in Mumbai, 102 Forged Property Maps Linked to Illegal Constructions
A special investigation team (SIT) has uncovered a major land scam in Mumbai, revealing the manipulation of property records to convert environmentally sensitive Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) and No Development Zone (NDZ) lands into developable plots. The scam, which involves the alteration of at least 102 property maps, has resulted in the arrest of four individuals, including two retired government employees, and is linked to illegal construction along Mumbai’s coastline.
The investigation, initiated by the Bombay High Court, was prompted by a complaint filed in 2021 by Vaibhav Thakur, a farmer from Erangal in Malad. Thakur, who owns ancestral farmland, discovered that government records had been tampered with to classify CRZ and NDZ areas as developable zones. Despite his initial complaint, including reports to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Goregaon police, little progress was made in addressing the issue. Further revelations came in 2021 when Deputy Superintendent of Land Records, Nitin Salunkhe, lodged a second FIR, uncovering that between 2012 and 2020, maps and official documents were forged to regularize illegal constructions in eco-sensitive areas. The issue gained significant attention in the Maharashtra state assembly in 2022, prompting the government to establish an inquiry committee. These findings were eventually presented to the High Court, which ordered the formation of the SIT to investigate the matter.
Under the leadership of Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime), Lakhmi Gautam, the SIT has made several arrests, including contractor Narshim Puttawallu, 50, retired City Survey Office officials Devdas Jadhav and Marade, and real estate agent Imam Shaikh. These individuals are accused of collaborating with government officials to manipulate over 100 property maps, incorporating false information such as fabricated City Survey numbers, non-existent constructions, and altered property boundaries. The forged documents were used to gain approvals for construction projects, which were then sold based on fraudulent claims, leading to significant ecological damage and loss of revenue for the government.
The investigation uncovered that 102 maps out of 884 permanent enumeration maps from 1955 to 1984 were forged. These maps depicted constructions that did not exist prior to 1964, further compounding the illegal activity. As a result of the SIT’s findings, the Maharashtra government has instructed the Principal Secretary of Urban Development and the Director of Land Records in Pune to take action against the responsible parties for the manipulation of public records. The illegal constructions on CRZ and NDZ lands have caused severe ecological damage and significant financial losses to the state, with a senior police official confirming the serious impact on the region’s environmental balance. The SIT has also summoned 18 BMC and Land Records Department officials for questioning. However, the investigation was temporarily delayed due to the election process. The authorities have vowed to continue their investigation and ensure that all those responsible are held accountable for their role in this land scam.
