3 min readMumbaiMar 5, 2026 06:04 PM IST
First published on: Mar 5, 2026 at 06:04 PM IST
The Maharashtra government Thursday informed the Bombay High Court that a survey – conducted by the police and the airport authorities – found all seven sites near Mumbai international airport considered for temporary use by autorickshaw and taxi drivers for offering prayers during Ramazan unsuitable owing to security risks.
Thereafter, the Court said it was unable to order space even for a temporary period and dismissed the plea by Taxi-Rickshaw Ola-Uber Men’s Union, argued through advocate Shehzad Naqvi. The plea was against the 2025 demolition of the temporary prayer shed of nearly 1500 square feet situated near the Domestic Terminal of the airport, where drivers, airport workers, and hotel staff used to offer Namaz during Ramazan month.
A bench of Justice Burgess P Colabawalla and Justice Firdosh P Pooniwalla had last month asked the state government and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) to identify an alternative site in the vicinity of the airport where drivers could offer namaz during Ramzan.
On Thursday, the bench noted that even though demolition was carried out in April 2025 and the petition was filed in February 2026, “it on humanitarian grounds” requested the authorities “to consider whether some space could be allotted so that the members of petitioner Union were not inconvenienced only for Ramazan.”
“After inspecting these seven sites, the report says that all survey locations were found unsuitable due to congestion, security, and airport development plan constraints. Allowing drivers and other people to offer namaz within the Terminal 1 airport poses a potential security risk,” the bench noted.
The judges further stated in the order, “(W)e are unable to direct the respondents to allot any space to the petitioner association even for a temporary period to undertake namaz during the month of Ramazan.”
The Court observed that there was a mosque within a kilometre of the parking area where the drivers park their cars. However, the petitioner claimed the said structure was not a mosque and instead was a madrasa, where prayers are not offered.
“When it comes to security, we will not compromise one bit. We were exploring from a humanitarian point of view. They (authorities) have examined seven different sites… We have to look at the larger picture… We have to look at the security for every passenger, irrespective of their religion. The threat doesn’t necessarily come from you (petitioners). The area has to be secured…” Justice Colabawalla orally remarked.
“Looking at the totality, we find that we are unable to give any relief to the petition. It is accordingly dismissed,” the HC held in the order.
The high court said petitioners were free to make a representation to the Airports Authority of India (AAI) or Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) for allotment of suitable space in the proposed redeveloped Terminal 1 premises.
“It is left to the discretion of the MIAL and AAI, taking into consideration all factors, but not limited to safety, security and convenience of passengers who will be utilising the airport,” the HC noted.
The Bombay High Court observed that there was a mosque within a kilometre of the parking area where the drivers park their cars. (File Photo) 
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