BMC orders DGS Land Developers to stop Lokhandwala redevelopment work

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) ordered DGS Land Developers to stop construction and demolition immediately at a redevelopment site in Lokhandwala, Andheri West, on 19 October 2026. The corporation’s K West ward office also fined the developer ₹35,000 over alleged violations of air-pollution control guidelines. The site’s building or society name was not identified in the notice reports.

The notice was issued under Section 354A of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act, 1888. The provision allows the BMC to direct work to stop. The order covers all construction and demolition activity at the site and warns of further legal action if the developer does not comply. The BMC also instructed Oshiwara police to monitor the location and ensure its directions are followed.

Dust-control breaches listed

The notice listed uncovered construction materials and debris, loose soil dumped on roads and footpaths, and cutting, drilling and grinding activity carried out without covering. It also cited the absence of a facility to wash vehicle tyres before vehicles leave the site. These measures are intended to limit dust and prevent soil and debris from being carried onto public roads.

The action followed a video circulated by the Andheri Lokhandwala Oshiwara Citizens’ Association (LOCA), which showed large clouds of dust reportedly coming from the demolition site. LOCA had complained to the BMC and the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, asking them to intervene. Residents also raised concerns that construction debris was falling and could endanger pedestrians and commuters.

LOCA representative Dhaval Shah raised concerns about dust-control measures and possible health risks for children, senior citizens and people with respiratory conditions. The site is in a densely populated residential neighbourhood where redevelopment is under way. The BMC action applies to the named developer and site; the available notice reports do not identify a project name or provide details about the redevelopment’s buyers.

Work must remain suspended until directions are met

The stop-work direction requires the developer to suspend activity immediately. The reported information does not give a deadline for compliance or state the conditions under which the BMC would lift the order. It also does not set out a hearing date or the outcome of LOCA’s complaint to the pollution control board. Police monitoring is part of the instructions issued for this site.

The BMC has reported collecting 2.06 lakh metric tonnes of construction debris in Mumbai in 2026 and said it was intensifying vehicle tracking and enforcement against illegal dumping and construction-related dust. A senior Solid Waste Management official linked the citywide drive to the High Power Committee’s continued monitoring of air-pollution mitigation measures. That broader enforcement context does not change the terms of the order at the Lokhandwala site.

For the developer, the next step is to keep construction and demolition stopped and address the breaches set out in the notice before seeking any change to the order. Residents and buyers connected with the redevelopment should seek project-specific updates directly from the developer; the notice reports do not establish any effect on possession dates, refunds or buyer rights.