Cidco razes ‘illegal’ dargah near Navi Mumbai airport

Navi Mumbai: The City and Industrial Development Corporation (Cidco) on Thursday demolished a dargah allegedly constructed illegally near the under-construction Navi Mumbai International Airport. The demolition came in response to complaints from a right-wing Hindu organisation, the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS), which flagged the structure as a “significant security concern.”
According to HJS, the encroachment began in 2012 with the placement of four stones painted white and green. Over the years, it reportedly expanded to occupy an acre of land. “We raised the issue in March 2023 and again in October 2024. Cidco has finally acted,” said Sunil Ghanvat, the state coordinator for the organisation.
The samiti has also called for the removal of similar illegal structures on 35 forts across Maharashtra, claiming they face similar encroachments.