Mumbai Residents Allege SRA Violating High Court Order On Open Space Mandate

Residents of several housing societies in Parel’s Bhoiwada have accused the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) of violating the Bombay High Court’s directive mandating that all rehabilitation projects on government or reserved land must allocate at least 35 per cent of their total area as continuous public open space.

The allegation underscores the growing tension between redevelopment pressures and citizens’ right to accessible urban commons in Mumbai’s dense central districts.According to residents, the Matoshree redevelopment schemeoverseen by the SRA has steadily reduced the area designated for recreational grounds, converting large portions of reserved open land into buildable plots. The project, first approved in 2011 to deliver 3,523 housing units over a 71,687-square-metre parcel, initially reserved 23 per cent of the site for common open spaces under the city’s Development Plan. Over successive revisions, however, the number of housing units rose to 4,534 while the open space allocation dropped to barely 8 per cent of the total area.

This reduction, residents say, directly contravenes the Bombay High Court’s June 2024 ruling requiring a minimum 35 per cent allocation for open spaces in SRA projects. The court had further instructed the SRA and the Urban Development Department to ensure these spaces are publicly accessible and handed over to civic authorities for maintenance within 90 days of project completion.Residents allege that construction has already begun on parcels earlier marked as recreation gardens. “We were promised accessible open spaces when we purchased our flats, but most of those plots are now being redeveloped,” said a member of one of the affected societies. Locals claim five recreational plots once earmarked for community use have either been built upon or earmarked for future housing blocks.Officials at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) confirmed that they have limited authority until the SRA formally transfers control of the land. “This is an SRA-led project; BMC’s role begins only after handover,” said a civic official.
Urban policy experts warn that the issue exposes deeper gaps in Mumbai’s redevelopment governance. “When public open spaces become negotiable in rehabilitation projects, the idea of inclusive redevelopment loses meaning,” said a senior planner familiar with SRA processes.

Residents have since filed a writ petition with the Bombay High Court, seeking judicial intervention to restore the reserved open spaces. The case reignites broader concerns about compliance monitoring and civic transparency in Mumbai’s large-scale housing renewals a reminder that sustainable urban growth depends not just on housing quantity but on equitable access to open, breathable spaces.

Mumbai Residents Allege SRA Violating High Court Order On Open Space Mandate