Mumbai Renews Babulnath Temple Land Lease For Thirty Years At One Rupee
Mumbai’s state cabinet has approved a long-pending lease renewal for a portion of land within the Babulnath Temple precinct, ending more than a decade of administrative uncertainty for one of the city’s most visited religious sites. The decision grants the temple trust a 30-year extension at a token rent of Rs 1, signalling an attempt to streamline legacy land arrangements that frequently impede civic access and heritage management across the city.
The temple complex occupies 5,677 square metres, of which 718 square metres have been under lease to the trust since the early twentieth century. The renewal had been overdue since 2012, prompting repeated correspondence between the trust and government officials. According to a senior state representative, the cabinet opted to resolve the matter “in the public interest”, particularly as the land in question functions as a pathway used by thousands of visitors rather than for any revenue-generating activity. As part of the decision, the government has also waived around Rs 34.57 lakh in lease rent arrears accumulated between 2012 and 2021. Officials noted that the collector’s office had earlier raised concerns regarding dues based on commercial-use assessment norms, but the cabinet determined that such classification did not apply to the site’s actual function. A civic official said the waiver was intended to avoid prolonged legal wrangling and ensure continued access for worshippers without disruption. The temple trust has additionally requested that the leased portion be converted to freehold land, a move that would transfer full ownership to the trust. However, the collector’s office has clarified that freehold conversion is permissible only for plots designated for residential, commercial, or industrial purposes. Industry experts said such restrictions are common across Indian cities, particularly where religious or public-use parcels must remain governed under state custodianship to prevent fragmentation or misuse.
Urban planners argue that recurring disputes around historic land leases highlight the need for clearer policies for properties held by charitable, cultural, and heritage institutions. Many of Mumbai’s oldest neighbourhoods feature century-old agreements that no longer align with current urban regulations, leading to ambiguity for both administrators and occupants. An urban heritage consultant said the Babulnath ruling may set a precedent for updating similarly outdated leases while ensuring that public access and cultural continuity remain protected. The move also underlines broader concerns around managing civic land in dense urban centres. As Mumbai pursues more inclusive and sustainable planning, experts emphasise the importance of balancing the rights of long-established institutions with the city’s need for accessible public spaces, secure pathways, and transparent stewardship of government-owned parcels.
For now, the lease renewal brings certainty to a site that is woven into the city’s cultural and social life. Officials stated that future decisions on freehold conversion, if considered, would require policy-level amendments rather than case-specific interventions.
