The Supreme Court on Monday applauded the efforts of the Maharashtra government and the Haji Ali Dargah Trust to remove encroachments in the area, India Legal reported. The apex court also asked the government agencies to come up with a “beautification plan” for the area in South Mumbai.
It also told the state government to decide on the demolishing of the Kinara Mosque by the next hearing on October 4.
At the last hearing on July 28, the bench had given the Maharashtra government two weeks to inform it about the progress it had made in removing the encroachments near the shrine.
On July 14, the top court had modified its earlier order and allowed the Haji Ali Dargah Trust to file a petition with the Maharashtra government to regularise the Kinara Mosque, a portion of which was facing demolition as an encroachment.
In April, the bench headed by Chief Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar had asked the Haji Ali Dargah Trust to demolish all encroachments in and around the dargah, except the mosque.
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