The dispute between the developer and Madrasa and Mosque Ghousiyah Ahle Sunnat in Andheri West is pending in the Bombay High Court since 2009
MUMBAI – Trustees of Madrasa and Mosque Ghousiyah Ahle Sunnat, MIDC in Mumbai’s Andheri West, have begun efforts to resolve the long-running dispute over the future of these places through talks. They also made it clear that every decision will be settled only through the court, as the case is under hearing at the Bombay High Court.
The trustees held internal consultations to discuss the future of the mosque and madrasa. During the discussions, they said that even if the developer agrees to their demands, the outcome must be placed before the court for approval.
According to the trustees, the issue of reconstruction has remained unresolved for years. At present, prayers are being offered in a hall provided by Akruti Developers. The trustees said they are ready to accept a settlement if the developer agrees to construct the mosque and provide three additional flats in the new adjacent building.
Under the earlier agreement, the developer had agreed to build the mosque and provide only two flats. The trustees said the long delay has caused hardship to the local Muslim community, which has been waiting since 2009 for a proper mosque.
“If the developer agrees to protect the mosque, rebuild it, and give a wider and proper place for prayers as per our demand, we have no objection to signing a fresh agreement and closing the case,” said Iqbal Meniar, an active member of the Madrasa and Mosque Razviya Ghousiyah Ahle Sunnat Service and Management Committee.
He added, “All details will still be placed before the court, because the matter has been pending for many years and only the court can give it a final shape.”
Meniar said that under the previous agreement, the developer is now planning a multi-storey building on the site where the foundation for the new mosque had been laid earlier. He alleged that on December 17, the developer tried to clear the site and perform a coconut-breaking ceremony to mark construction.
“There was strong resistance from the trustees and locals. Due to this opposition, the developer had to stop. Even today, the old foundation of the mosque remains at the site,” he said.
The trustees made it clear that the main demands remain unchanged. These include full protection of the mosque, proper reconstruction, and a more spacious mosque for worshippers. They said if the developer sticks only to the old agreement and refuses to meet these demands, the matter will be decided by the court alone.
Local Muslims have welcomed the trustees’ stand, saying the issue is not about property, but about the dignity, safety, and future of a place of worship that serves the community.
