6 months ago
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The Bombay High Court connected Tuesday (January 6, 2026) granted the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) clip to instrumentality instructions and respond to a pending objection raised by the Union Finance Ministry’s Department of Expenditure, which, the tribunal was told, is inactive nether information astatine the JNPA. The Bench, comprising Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Manjusha Deshpande, accordingly posted the substance for further proceeding connected January 15.
Appearing for the JNPA, advocator Amit Patil sought clip successful airy of the connection made by D.P. Singh, counsel for responsive no. 2, that “one objection raised by the Department of Expenditure is pending earlier the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority”. The petitioners, the Maharashtra Small Scale Traditional Fish Workers Union, were represented by advocates Rashid Khan with Siddharth Ingle and Saurav More.
The petition invokes Articles 226 and 227, seeking directions for imperishable and capable rehabilitation of 256 families displaced from Sheva Gaon successful Uran taluka of Raigad territory erstwhile the JNPT township task was initiated successful 1984. Since then, the sportfishing assemblage has lived successful transit accommodation astatine Hanuman oregon Sheva Koliwada successful Boripakhadi amid mediocre civic conditions, alleging breached assurances and statutory non-compliance nether the Maharashtra Project Affected Persons Rehabilitation Act, 1976.
The lawsuit reached the High Court pursuing years of agitation and reporting that documented the community’s prolonged wait. In November 2024, The Hindu reported however residents, citing decades of neglect, boycotted the Assembly election, saying they would not beryllium persuaded without factual rehabilitation steps. Officials from the Election Commission and the Raigad Collectorate visited the hamlet, but residents alleged political unit and threats linked to voting.
Subsequently, connected December 19, 2024, a verbal assurance was given successful New Delhi by a elder authoritative successful the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, pursuing a gathering attended by assemblage leaders and JNPA officials, to statesman operation for the 256 families connected astir 10 hectares identified successful Uran. Community leaders aboriginal said the assurance did not construe into backing releases oregon ground-level action.
By June 2025, the residents formally moved the Bombay High Court, seeking a court-monitored committee, interim relief, and time-bound implementation of a program that they said had been approved earlier successful the year, covering astir 10.16 hectares. The petition besides sought compensation for the prolonged displacement and a wide docket for housing.
Even symbolic acts to support attraction connected the promise, specified arsenic a Rakshabandhan bhoomi‑puja and “symbolic possession” of the 10.46 hectares, were followed by renewed complaints that funds for operation remained unreleased, contempt approvals successful principle. The community’s counsel had described the decades‑long hold arsenic a signifier of “false assurances”.
Throughout 2025, residents continued demonstrations, including protests extracurricular Vidhan Bhavan astatine the commencement of the Monsoon Session, wherever they were moved to Azad Maidan wrong minutes. Later, a women’s radical announced plans to artifact the JNPA transmission to property for action. In September, residents alleged constabulary intimidation adjacent arsenic they cited tribunal directions for timely rehabilitation, allegations the constabulary denied, calling it regular deployment for safety.
With the substance present listed connected January 15, the petitioners reason that lone a court-driven docket with accountability crossed agencies, including the JNPA, State authorities and Central ministries, tin interruption the deadlock and yet determination the families from transit accommodation to imperishable homes.
