Indian Air Force accuses Mhada of Santa Cruz land grab

Mumbai: Mhada, the state’s housing board, has been accused of grabbing defence land. The Indian Air Force (IAF) has alleged that Mhada has manipulated property records to take over nearly 49,000 sq m of defence land at the Rifle Range in Golibar, Santa Cruz. Six buildings have come up on this land as part of a slum rehab scheme, and the IAF has sought their demolition.

The land (survey No 13/CTS 387) is located close to an IAF installation. The Cotton Green-based 411 Air Force station has claimed that the land was part of 2.49 lakh sq m of military land, which had been in its possession since May 8, 1964. However, the IAF seems to have woken up late, since many slums had encroached on its claimed land.

PK Sharma, group captain, 411 Air force station, has further accused Mhada of allowing a private developer to illegally set up multi-storied apartments on the land without procuring a no-objection certificate from the IAF.