Hundreds of families living along the fringes of Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) in Malad East are caught in a daily struggle for survival and face the constant threat of eviction.
The forest department has launched a large-scale survey of huts allegedly built on forest land, filing cases under various provisions of the Indian Forest Act. Sources said over 1500 residents have already been booked for encroachment, branding them as “offenders” in official records.
For many, the issue isn’t just about losing their homes, it’s about losing their dignity. Once charged, their names appear in online police verification records, flagging them as accused and costing them jobs, housing, and opportunities.
Govindkumar Jaiswar stands outside his home, Sainath Welfare Society, in Pimpri Pada, Malad East
“I am not a criminal,” said Govindkumar Jaiswar, 40, a resident of Sainath Welfare Society, Pimpri Pada. “I’ve lived here for years, but now no one gives me work because of this case. I’m forced to survive on daily wages.”
Jaiswar, who has lived in the area since 2005, said all his documents — voter ID, PAN, and ration card — list the same address. “In 2023, we got notices from the forest department. Hundreds of people were summoned with their documents. Later, around ten of us were taken to court and had to pay bail of R3000 each,” he said, showing the papers.
He sent his family to their village to save money and started working as a delivery rider, only to have his account suspended the next day. “A voice message said my registration was cancelled due to a criminal record. When I checked with the office, they confirmed it, my name appeared in a forest case,” he said.
“I’ve never even been to a police station,” Jaiswar added. “Now I can’t work anywhere. I can’t even get a passport. The government must stop treating poor residents like criminals. We’re just trying to live.”
Ram Bhoite, district president of Shivsangram, who has been helping the affected families, said, “Do people living on forest land not deserve to eat? When cases show up in online records, no one gives them jobs. Even women working as domestic help are being rejected after police verification.”
In a biting remark, Bhoite added, “If the government can’t give them homes or jobs, at least give them licences to steal, so they can feed their families.”
The forest side
According to forest officials, thousands of people have lived for decades across 200-300 hectares of forest land in Malad, Dahisar, Thane, Yeoor, Mulund, Bhandup, and Kandivli.
So far, around 16,000 huts have been surveyed in Malad and Dahisar’s Rawalpada area. Cases have been registered against 940 residents in Malad and 700 in Dahisar for alleged illegal encroachment.
Officials said the survey follows government guidelines stating that huts standing before January 1, 2011, will be considered eligible for rehabilitation and relocation.
A forest officer told mid-day, “In 1997, the Bombay High Court directed the removal of encroachments from SGNP and rehabilitation for those living there before January 1, 1995. About 11,000 families were moved to Chandivli, but the rest are still waiting.”
A survey of the remaining housing units is still underway. However, the then government claimed it lacked sufficient funds to carry out rehabilitation on such a large scale. Following this, the court directed eligible residents to deposit R7000 each with the government as part of the relocation process.
The officer said the state plans to relocate eligible residents to Sangharsh Nagar, where 11 towers are being rebuilt after structural issues halted construction years ago.
Following a public interest litigation (PIL) in 2023, the Supreme Court in January 2025 directed the government to expedite housing for all remaining eligible families. The ongoing survey, conducted by Grant Thornton through MHADA, aims to identify those residents.
1500
Approx. no. of residents allegedly booked for encroachment
