In a significant protest over a proposed road development, members of St Peter’s Church in Bandra have raised serious concerns over a stretch of land marked in the city’s Development Plan (DP), which cuts through the St Peter’s Seaside Cemetery. This cemetery, located on Kadeshwari Mandir Road, has been in use by the church for over a century, and the proposed road threatens to displace graves, causing deep distress among the parishioners.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had initially issued a demand notice in January 2023, which would have resulted in the removal of graves to make way for the road. However, following protests and legal challenges, the BMC withdrew the notice in March 2023. Despite this, the road proposal remains in the DP, leading to ongoing fears among church members that the issue could resurface at any time, resulting in the displacement of sacred grounds. A prominent church leader and former principal of St Xavier’s College, emphasised that although the demand notice was withdrawn, the road continues to exist in the planning documents, leaving open the possibility that it could be revived. “The plan to construct the road is still on paper, and anytime the authorities can choose to proceed with it. We need a permanent resolution to safeguard the cemetery,” he said.
The cemetery, which also includes a Jewish burial ground on the opposite side, is located in a highly congested part of Bandra. Brian D’Souza, a member of the parish pastoral council, proposed an alternative solution, suggesting the use of an adjacent road. “The parallel road, which is currently encroached upon, should suffice as an alternative. There is no need to disrupt the cemetery,” he argued. Chief Engineer for the Development Plan at the BMC, reassured the community that no work is currently underway, and there are no immediate plans for the road project to move forward. “While the BMC retains the authority to acquire land as needed, we have halted the road widening after considering the objections raised by residents. At present, there are no further developments planned for this proposal,” Rathod stated.
Despite this, the church leaders maintain that the BMC’s refusal to amend the DP to permanently remove the road proposal leaves the cemetery’s future uncertain. “This is not just a matter of land—it is about preserving a space that is sacred to many families. The community is already facing a shortage of burial spaces, and further encroachment on this land would exacerbate the issue,” Father added. The controversy highlights the delicate balance between urban development and preserving spaces of historical and cultural significance. As the BMC considers future projects in the area, the church and local residents remain firm in their demand for a permanent exclusion of the road from the Development Plan, ensuring that the sacred cemetery remains undisturbed.
