Overview
- The Bombay High Court, in a Friday order, directed the Maharashtra government to set up an expert panel within four weeks to audit how the 1971 Slum Areas Act is working.
- The move follows a Supreme Court directive in July 2024 that prompted a suo motu review to see if the law functions in practice as intended.
- The bench said progress has been abysmal for a global city, citing town planning that has lagged on scarce public land and a lack of deterrents against encroachment.
- The judges called for an area‑wise, phase‑wise and scientific plan to clear slums, adding that the task is hard but achievable with real commitment from authorities.
- The court urged a multidisciplinary committee with senior urban officials, town planners, independent architects and public representatives, and it asked the state to consider a specialised redevelopment corporation to support the overburdened Slum Rehabilitation Authority.