The Bombay High Court has ruled that rassi (rope) holders at Dhobi Ghat near Jacob Circle in South Mumbai have no legal rights to obstruct the ongoing Slum Rehabilitation (SR) project, as an alternate site has already been offered to them. The court observed that since the petitioners were merely using the land for inserting ropes to dry clothes and did not occupy any residential or commercial structures, they could not hinder the redevelopment process.
Court Clears Path for Saibaba Nagar SRA CHS Redevelopment
The ruling came while a division bench of Justices Girish S. Kulkarni and Aarti A. Sathe was hearing a plea filed by the rassi-holders, who claimed to have been using the land for over 100 years for drying clothes. The land, located at the proposed Saibaba Nagar SRA Co-operative Housing Society, spans over 28,000 square metres, including a 7,000 square metre area reserved for drying clothes.
However, the court rejected the claim that the petitioners had any ownership or tenancy rights, clarifying that their limited use for drying clothes did not constitute lawful possession. “The petitioners were only using the land to insert ropes. They are not occupying any structure. Therefore, they cannot create hurdles in the redevelopment project,” the bench noted in its October 15, 2025 order.
The bench further emphasized that Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the developer are free to take necessary actions to ensure smooth implementation of the redevelopment. “We cannot recognize any rights of the petitioners to obstruct and cause a hurdle in not removing their ropes, more particularly when an alternate site has been offered,” the court observed.
Amicable Settlement Reached with Developer
In a positive turn, some petitioners opted for an amicable settlement with the developer, Resonant Realtors Projects Pvt. Ltd. (formerly Omkar Realtors). On October 16, advocate R.D. Soni, representing the petitioners, informed the court that the dispute had been resolved.
As per the settlement, the developer agreed to pay each of the five out of eight petitioners a monthly transit rent of ₹30,000 for five years — three years’ rent paid in advance and two years deposited in court. Additionally, the developer will provide assistance to relocate the rassi-holders to an alternate location within Mumbai.
The Dhobi Ghat reservation area will be rebuilt and handed over to the BMC within five years after the vacant land is made available for construction. The petitioners agreed to vacate their existing drying spaces by November 15, 2025, enabling construction to proceed unhindered.
Court Upholds Public Interest and Urban Redevelopment
The High Court reiterated that a small group of individuals cannot block a large-scale public redevelopment project, especially when proper compensation and alternative arrangements are in place. “Considering the nature of the scheme, such a meager number of persons cannot stall the redevelopment,” the bench stated.
The judgment is being hailed as a significant precedent in Mumbai’s urban redevelopment efforts, balancing the interests of traditional livelihood holders with the city’s modernization and housing needs. With the court’s green signal, the Saibaba Nagar SRA CHS project can now move forward, marking another milestone in Mumbai’s Slum Rehabilitation and Redevelopment Program.
