The Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) on Tuesday began demolishing 13 shops belonging to Noor Elahi Mosque on Mankhurd Link Road, structures that had stood for over two decades. The action, carried out under heavy police presence from early morning until late evening, left the mosque trustees and local residents shocked and angry. MHADA officials said the operation would continue until all debris is cleared.
According to the mosque’s treasurer, Fayyaz Ahmed Shah, the shops had been part of the mosque’s property for 23 years, serving as a source of income for the mosque and madrasa. “We did not expect such a large-scale action. We kept running around to save the property, but unfortunately the matter reached demolition. We are all still trying on our part,” he said.
Shah alleged that MHADA “cleverly” separated the mosque from its adjoining property, declaring the shops illegal while promising the mosque structure would remain untouched. A notice issued on June 27 claimed the land was being used for commercial purposes without MHADA’s permission or a no-objection certificate from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). It also alleged that 15 shops and other constructions on the mosque premises were illegal, warning that they would be removed under state planning laws.
The trustees, however, dispute these claims, insisting the shops have long been part of the mosque’s property. They say efforts to stop the demolition through local MP Sanjay Dina Patil failed after MHADA’s CEO allegedly told the MP he was acting under “pressure from above.” Shah questioned, “Whose pressure is this from above? Is it through pressure that action is taken against places of worship or their property? And what is the role of MHADA officers? The police and MHADA should explain who is putting pressure.”
Trustees also accused political leaders, including BJP figures Nitish Rane and Kirit Somaiya, of pushing for the demolition, claiming the real motive is the high value of the roadside land. “Some people want it for themselves and are using MHADA to make that happen,” a trustee alleged.
As demolition crews tore down roofs, cut beams, and hauled away debris, locals gathered silently, many fearing the move was part of a broader pattern of targeting Muslim-owned properties. “First, they divide the property, then they call it illegal, then they say there is pressure from above. This is how you weaken a community,” said a nearby shopkeeper.
The mosque trustees say they will continue fighting to protect what remains and are demanding clear answers from MHADA, police, and political leaders about the “pressure” behind the destruction of 23 years of history in a matter of hours.
