Demolish Unauthorized Structures Within 60 Days: Strict Directives Issued to Maharashtra’s Local Bodies

Supreme Court Takes Tough Stance on Encroachments Along National Highways

Urban Development Department Issues Official Circular

Mumbai, August 10: Taking a serious view of the rising number of accidents and critical safety issues on national highways across the country, the Supreme Court has adopted a stringent stance. To ensure immediate and strict compliance with the directives issued by the apex court, Maharashtra’s Urban Development Department has issued an official circular directing all Municipal Corporations, Municipal Councils, and Nagar Panchayats across the state to enforce the orders strictly.

As per the Supreme Court’s instructions, new dhabas, eateries, or any commercial structures within the Right of Way (ROW) of any National Highway are strictly prohibited with immediate effect. Additionally, from a highway safety standpoint, the process of legally prohibiting any change of land use within 40 meters for residential purposes and 75 meters for commercial purposes from the midpoint of any National Highway must be completed within 60 days.

A 60-day deadline under the leadership of District Magistrates has been fixed to demolish or remove all new and existing unauthorized structures along the highways. For this purpose, a ‘District Highway Safety Task Force’ will be constituted in every district within 15 days. This task force will comprise officials from the district administration, police department, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Public Works Department (PWD), and local bodies. The joint responsibility for the timely removal of encroachments will rest with the District Collector and the Commissioner of Police or Superintendent of Police.

Furthermore, no department or local body shall grant or renew any new commercial permission, license, or No-Objection Certificate (NOC) within highway safety zones without prior clearance from the NHAI. It has also been made mandatory to review all existing licenses granted for such sites within 30 days. The state government has explicitly instructed all local bodies to take utmost care to prevent any contempt of the Supreme Court’s orders.

Structural Stability and Rainwater Harvesting Made Mandatory for New Water and Drainage Connections in Old Buildings

As part of the ‘Ease of Doing Business and Ease of Living’ reforms in the state’s urban areas, the Urban Development Department has announced an important procedure for existing old buildings. Under this new policy, any old building across all Municipal Corporations, Municipalities, and Nagar Panchayats seeking a new water tap connection or drainage connection must comply with the conditions for rainwater harvesting and solid waste or bio-sludge management.

For this purpose, submitting a valid building permission letter and a valid Structural Stability Certificate for the concerned building will be mandatory. Municipal engineers will conduct an on-site inspection to assess building safety, potential risks to neighboring structures, damage to existing utility connections, and space availability, before submitting a feasibility report to the competent authority. Approval for new drainage and water connections will be granted only if the report is satisfactory and all safety conditions are met.