Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The Bombay High Court at Goa has given the Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC) until August 28 to remove a shed standing on Mormugao Port Authority (MPA) land at Headland-Sada, bringing renewed focus to a demolition order that dates back to 2011.
The direction came during the hearing of a contempt petition filed by the MPA, which alleged that the earlier court order had not been implemented despite repeated assurances.
The court has also instructed the MMC Chief Officer to disconnect the electricity connection to the structure within three days. The officer has been directed to appear personally before the Bench on September 1 in connection with the failure to comply with the court’s directions.
The structure, situated at Chalta No. 1 of PT Sheet No. 7 at Headland-Sada, is locally known as “Murgao Cha Raja.” Residents have been using the shed for Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations for more than 15 years.
The legal dispute began in March 2011, when the High Court ordered the removal of the structure after holding that it had been erected on MPA property without authorisation. The matter later reached the Supreme Court, which dismissed the Special Leave Petition challenging the order on December 15, 2020, leaving the demolition direction intact.
Despite the Supreme Court’s decision, the shed remained in place.
The High Court also took note of an assurance given by the MMC Chief Officer on September 9, 2025, that the structure would be removed within six weeks. According to the MPA, that assurance was not fulfilled, prompting it to initiate contempt proceedings.
With the matter coming before the High Court again, the Bench has now set August 28 as the deadline for the demolition, while directing the MMC Chief Officer to ensure compliance.
