02 October,2026 08:25 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
BJP leader Kirit Somaiya. File Pic
Amid the Mumbai airport mosque row, BJP leader Kirit Somaiya on Friday said an FIR is likely to be registered soon over the alleged unauthorised construction near the airport. He also shared an MMRDA notice calling the concerned trust for a hearing on October 5.
In a post on X, Somaiya said the Airport Authority of India (AAI) and Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) had informed the authorities that the land was government-owned and that no permission had been granted to Mohammad Sarwar or others for the construction.
Somaiya alleged that the construction amounted to land grabbing and unauthorised construction. His remarks come after the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) earlier said it had not granted permission for the structure near Terminal 2 and directed MIAL to take action for its removal in accordance with due procedure.
The notice shared by Somaiya is addressed to Ashabul Janna Airport Charitable Trust and has been issued under relevant Sections of the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act, 1966.
According to the notice, an MMRDA field land surveyor conducted a site inspection on September 10, 2026, and submitted a report containing measurements and photographs of the construction.
The notice states that, prima facie, the construction appears to have been carried out without prior permission from the competent authority under Section 45 of the Act.
The trust has been asked to submit certified copies of any permission or approval authorising the construction at the time of the hearing.
The hearing has been scheduled for October 5, 2026, from 4 pm to 5 pm at the MMRDA's Unauthorised Construction and Removal Department on the third floor of the Old Administrative Building, E Block, Bandra-Kurla Complex, Bandra East.
The notice allows the trust to submit a written explanation and produce documents establishing that the construction was authorised.
The notice states that if the concerned party remains absent despite receiving the notice, or fails to produce permission documents, the authority may treat the construction as unauthorised and take action under relevant Sections of the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act.
The notice further states that the authority may proceed to remove the construction and restore the site to its original condition. It also provides for recovery of the expenses incurred in removing unauthorised construction as arrears of land revenue under Section 53(6).
The issue had earlier come under scrutiny after complaints about a mosque/structure near the VIP arrival and taxi stand area of Terminal 2. In September, MMRDA said it had not granted permission for the structure and that the notified airport area did not provide for a site for a public place of worship. The authority asked MIAL to take necessary action for its removal while following the prescribed procedure.
The BMC subsequently also issued a notice concerning the water connection to the structure, saying it had no record of a valid approval for the connection.
The October 5 hearing is the next significant step in the MMRDA proceedings concerning the alleged unauthorised construction.
