MUMBAI: The Bombay high court has restrained civic authorities from taking action against a Borivali East housing society in a dispute over a proposed development plan (DP) road passing through its premises, while hearing a petition challenging the move to convert the internal layout road into a public road without acquisition proceedings. Meanwhile, it directed the residents not to obstruct emergency vehicles by unauthorised parking.ScreenshotA vacation bench of Justices Shyam C Chandak and Shreeram V Shirsat on Wednesday granted interim relief to Ekta Meadows A, B, C, D, E, F & G Cooperative Housing Society Ltd, which challenged the government’s move to convert a 12-metre-wide internal layout road into a public road.The court directed authorities not to take coercive action based on a May 19 communication issued by the Dahisar traffic department till the next hearing on June 15. At the same time, the bench observed that the society “shall not allow the parking of the vehicles in an unauthorised manner thereby causing an obstruction to ambulance, vehicles of Fire Brigade Department, etc. passing from the proposed DP road”.The society challenged the urban development department’s decision to take over a 12-metre-wide internal layout road within the residential complex and declare it a public road. It argued that the decision violated statutory provisions and principles of natural justice as no acquisition proceedings were initiated and no hearing was granted before the move.According to the petition, the seven-wing complex with 420 flats received the required approvals and was handed over to residents in 2009. The society stated that the internal road formed part of a sanctioned layout and was handed over by the developer as a private access space for residents. It added that the area has been used for parking in line with the approved building plan.The petition stated that under the Development Control and Promotion Regulations (DCPR) 2034, the planning authority proposed converting the internal road into a public road. The society had objected to the proposal in a letter to the chief engineer on August 23, 2018, contending that adjoining plots already had access roads and were not landlocked.The dispute resurfaced after the Dahisar traffic department, in a communication dated May 19, 2026, claimed that possession of the proposed DP road vested with the BMC and directed the society to act against “unauthorised parked vehicles”, stating that such parking could obstruct ambulances and fire brigade vehicles.Appearing for the society, senior advocate Uday Warunjikar submitted that the authorities had not indicated whether any formal steps had been taken to acquire the land and develop it as a DP road. He also told the court that residents had been using the space for parking as per the approved plans.Taking note of the submissions, the court directed the state government not to take any coercive action until the next hearing on June 15.