The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) informed the Supreme Court on Wednesday, November 4, that all encroachments on land earmarked for a BEST bus stand in Borivali, Mumbai, have been removed, a day after the Court restrained the civic body and the Maharashtra government from releasing Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide's salary over non-compliance with its directions, Live Law reported. Senior Advocate R.P. Bhatt, appearing for the BMC, told the bench that the structures have been demolished and said he would file an affidavit of compliance in the course of the day or the next day.

Source: Live Law

Civic officials began clearing unauthorised shops, shanties and commercial structures from the plot at 7 a.m. on Wednesday, hours after the Supreme Court initiated contempt proceedings and ordered the salary freeze, Bar and Bench reported. The land parcel had been earmarked for a Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) bus depot and an electrical substation. ANI reported that the drive covered a plot of about 3,400 square metres reserved for the BEST bus station on Swami Vivekananda Road in Borivali East.

Source: Bar and Bench

On Tuesday, a bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana issued a show-cause notice to the Municipal Commissioner asking why contempt action should not be initiated against her, dismissed the BMC's plea for more time to comply, imposed costs of Rs 5 lakh on the civic body and directed that salaries not be disbursed to the Commissioner and her staff until the show-cause notice is decided, Bar and Bench reported. Justice Bagchi told the BMC's counsel that the Commissioner would not draw any salary till December 1, 2026, and that compliance must be ensured before then.

Source: Bar and Bench

The dispute concerns approximately 5,800 square metres of land in Borivali, of which 3,400 square metres was earmarked for a BEST bus stand and administrative building, Live Law reported. On August 13, 2025, the Supreme Court had directed the private developer in the case — Parag Construction, now Dube Constructions — to hand over vacant and peaceful possession of the 3,400 square metres to the Corporation. On November 13, 2025, the Court expressed concern over the authorities' failure to remove the encroachments, and on July 28, 2026, it directed the Corporation to remove them within three months.

Source: Live Law

During Tuesday's hearing, the Court strongly criticised the BMC for repeatedly failing to comply with its time-bound directions and observed that the civic body's conduct prima facie amounted to deliberate and wilful disobedience of its orders; it also said it suspected that BMC officers were protecting the encroachers in collusion with them, Live Law reported. The Court refused to grant even a day's extension, stating that the BMC had already been given sufficient time. On Wednesday, Bhatt also apologised to the bench for having defended the BMC's conduct during Tuesday's hearing.

Source: Live Law