Bombay HC quashes notices to end Mahim fair two days early

MUMBAI: The Bombay high court on Tuesday struck down the Mumbai police’s notice asking stall owners at the annual Mahim Urs fair, which is being held from December 16-25, to wrap up two days early.

The police had directed stall owners to wind up on December 23 in order to prevent potential traffic congestion on Mahim Causeway and Lady Jamshedji Road on December 24-25 due to Christmas celebrations at St Michael’s Church. The fair is being held at the Mahim Dargah Urs Ground, which is diagonally opposite the church.

A vacation bench of justices Shivkumar Dige and Advait Sethna passed the order after hearing a petition filed by Zahid Khamisa, who has been setting up a games stall at the fair since 1986.

According to the petition, at least 40 vendors had received notices on December 23 informing them that the police permission granted to them to put up stalls at the Mahim fair was being withdrawn for the last two days. The reason stated by the police, according to the petition, was concerns about traffic congestion near St Michael’s Church during the Christmas period.

The public prosecutor, Prajakta Shinde, told the court that the fair is causing a traffic jam daily on Mahim Causeway, which is the only road connecting the western suburbs to south Mumbai. The congestion would be exacerbated on December 24-25 due to Christmas festivities at St Michael’s Church, the prosecution added.

Advocate Prassana Bhangale, representing the petitioners, told the court that when the permissions were refused last year for the same reason, the chief minister had intervened, and the fair went ahead as planned during Christmas.

The bench quashed the police’s notice, saying they were acting purely based on apprehension and there was no mention of any complaints from the public regarding traffic congestion. “This cannot be a ground for cancelling the licence [of the fair]. Extra personnel must be deployed [to manage the traffic],” the bench said.

Over a million people visit the Mahim fair across the 10 days of festivities in and around the month of December every year. The fair is held near the Mahim Dargah in honour of Sufi saint Hazrat Makhdum Fakih Ali Mahimi. The fair is one of Mumbai’s most vibrant and anticipated annual events, marked by cultural performances, delicious street food, shopping, and fun-filled activities for people of all ages.