MUMBAI: More than 2,000 residents who lost their homes in recent demolitions by the Mumbai Port Authority (MbPA) took to the streets on Thursday, marching from New Tank Road in Darukhana to Reay Road railway station and onward towards Azad Maidan.Mumbai, India. June 04, 2026 - Residents of the New Tank Road slum held a protest at Azad Maidan against the MbPT. The Mumbai Port Authority recently demolished over 100 houses. Mumbai, India. June 04, 2026. (Photo by Raju Shinde/HT Photo) (Raju Shinde)The protest, organised by the Mumbai Port Ghar Haq Sangharsh Samiti, comes amid escalating tensions over evictions on MbPA land in areas such as New Tank Road, Rajiv Gandhi Nagar and Aman Shanti Nagar, all in Sewri, where communities settled decades ago have been displaced without rehabilitation.“We have lived here for 70 years and, with nowhere to go, we are living on the streets now. There are over 1,000 people in the protest,” said Shanti Harijan, 40, a resident of Kavala Bunder on New Tank Road, where 30 homes were razed on May 12, the first of many such demolitions in Sewri.“Our families have been living here for generations. I even got married here. I have an Aadhaar card and bills to show,” said Rajkumari D’Souza, 60, a resident of Aman Shanti Nagar.According to residents, around 100 homes were razed on New Tank Road, 60 in Rajiv Gandhi Nagar and 30 in Aman Shanti Nagar.Demonstrators called for a “house for a house” policy to ensure that all affected slum-dwellers in the Mumbai port area are provided equivalent housing, and that no further demolition or eviction action is carried out until a rehabilitation framework is implemented.A memorandum drawn up by the protesting slum-dwellers to also demands interim relief, including temporary shelter and essential civic facilities until permanent rehabilitation is provided. It calls for a transparent survey of all the families impacted and publication of beneficiary lists to ensure accountability in the rehabilitation process.Residents also stressed that before any demolition, the authorities must issue written notices stating the reasons, rehabilitation details, alternative arrangements and legal remedies available to affected persons. They have demanded withdrawal of FIRs and legal proceedings against protestors.While seeking a judicial inquiry into alleged human rights violations by MbPA and police during eviction drives, the memorandum also calls for a meeting between residents, elected representatives, MbPA, MHADA, SRA and the state government to formulate a rehabilitation policy. They stress they are protected under constitutional provisions under Articles 14, 19 and 21, which guarantee equality, freedom and the right to life with dignity.The MbPA, one of the city’s largest land owners, has long been at the centre of disputes over encroachments on its land. Residents of the structures targeted for demolition say they have lived here before 1995 and are therefore covered under Maharashtra’s slum rehabilitation policy for pre-2000 dwellings. However, central government institutions have often maintained that such state protections do not apply to their land.While the MbPA describes the structures as encroachments, residents insist they have documentation to prove decades of residence and eligibility for rehabilitation. The issue has drawn political attention, with support from leaders across parties including the BJP, Shiv Sena and Shiv Sena (UBT), as well as NGOs working with affected communities.The MbPA spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment.