29 September,2026 08:31 AM IST | Mumbai | A Correspondent
Ritu Tawde, mayor of Mumbai. Pic/X@TawdeRitu; (right) Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray. File pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi
Two days after Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray wrote to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, seeking a stay on the proposed eviction of hutments taller than 14 feet, Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde on Monday indicated that no decision will be taken without a detailed discussion on the issue in the general body of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). Tawde indicated that she will oppose any decision that the administration may have taken regarding this issue, which leads to a decision to demolish the homes of Mumbaikars.
The letter written by Thackeray on September 26 stated, "The BMC administration has decided to conduct a special drive against unauthorised constructions in slum areas from October 9 to December 31, 2026. Under this drive, eviction action will be taken against hutments measuring 14 feet and above in height. The administration has warned the residents concerned to remove the unauthorised constructions themselves immediately; failing which, strict action will be taken by the municipal corporation."
The leader added that a large number of slums exist in Mumbai city, and many families reside in these slums. "After the expansion of families, 1+1 houses are made and taking action against such houses merely on the grounds that they are unauthorised would be extremely unjust," he wrote.
"Recently, the BMC has started a scheme for buildings that do not have an occupation certificate (OC). However, no action is being taken against the builder mafia that cheats citizens and the BMC. At the same time, ordinary citizens should also be given protection. There is a suspicion in the minds of many that, to exert pressure on the public and favour the builder mafia, bulldozers are being used to create fear. Similarly, construction works outside Mumbai have also been provided protection in the past. Therefore, instead of making Mumbaikars helpless by demolishing these houses merely on the basis of the height criterion, they should be provided protection, their 1+1 houses should be protected, and the injustice being caused to them should be removed," read the letter.
Mumbai mayor Ritu Tawde said, "This is going to be taken up in the BMC's general body meeting. The leader of the House is scheduled to give a detailed speech about this issue as well. But as Mayor of Mumbai, representing the Mahayuti government, I want to clarify that we are here to save the homes of people, not destroy them. If decisions are taken by the administration [that lead to demolition of houses], I will protest such decisions and condemn them."
The Sena (UBT) leader posted on X on Monday, "The BJP-appointed mayor of @mybmc Ritu Tawde ji says that she is now opposed to the BMC proposal of demolishing all informal houses/slums above 14 feet, after the BMC, which she is supposed to head, tabled the proposal. How bizarre can it get? The mayor herself opposes the BMC proposals and is supposedly clueless about it?! How can she, being the mayor, not know what the BMC proposes? Just like the R5-crore renovation of her mayoral residence with taxpayer money. I have said this before, and I say it again: the BJP does not know how to run governments - at any level. Show me one city that the BJP runs and has not been led into decay in the past 15 years! The BJP is now trying to save its skin by showing its opposition, but the fact is - the BJP wanted to push certain slums towards certain builder friends; therefore, it was trying to threaten the slums not signing on to those builders with a demolition notice. Accept that you can't run governments. We are anyway witnessing India's Lost Decade and its socio-economic repercussions on the country's citizens."
[popcorn number="Sept 26" desc="Day Aaditya Thackeray wrote to CM" class="Default"]
