Bombay High Court
Taxi-Rickshaw Ola-Uber Mens Union ... vs Adani Airport Holdings Ltd. Through Its ... on 5 March, 2026
Author: B. P. Colabawalla
Bench: B. P. Colabawalla
2026:BHC-OS:5755-DB
6-wpl-2960-1016.doc
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
ORDINARY ORIGINAL CIVIL JURISDICTION
WRIT PETITION (L) NO.2960 OF 2026
WITH
INTERIM APPLICATION (L)NO.7826 OF 2026
IN
WRIT PETITION (L)NO.2960 OF 2026
Taxi-Rickshaw OLA-UBER Mens Union .. Petitioners.
Digitally signed
by SMITA
SMITA RAJNIKANT
RAJNIKANT JOSHI
Versus
JOSHI Date:
2026.03.06
16:16:30 +0530
Adani Airport Holdings Ltd. & Others .. Respondents.
Mr. Shahzad Naqvi with Mr. Asif Naqvi, Ms. Amrin Syed i/b. Naqvi
Juris, Advocates for the Petitioners.
Mr. Vikram Nankani, Sr. Advocate with Mr. Shanay Shah, Ms. Shoma
Maitra, Ms. Mihika Vakharia i/b. Wadia Ghandy & Co., Advocates for
Respondent No.2- MIAL.
Mr. Akshay P. Shinde, Advocate for Respondent No.3-MMRDA.
Ms. Jyoti Chavan, Addl. G. P. with Ms. Fatima Lakdawala, AGP,
Advocates for Respondent No.4- State.
Ms. Anjali Helekar, Advocate for Respondent No.5- UOI.
Mr. Kaushik Mhatre with Mr. Shrirang Katneshwarkar, Mr. Ameya
Mahadik, Mr. Jayesh Kalebhere, Mr. Rohit Gupta i/b. Mr. Akshay
Deshmukh, Advocates for the Applicant in IA(L) No. 7826 of 2026.
Mr. S. P. Singh, Security Officer, MIAL, present in Court.
Mr. Suhas Chavan, Sr. Police Inspector, Airport Police Station, present
in Court.
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MARCH 05, 2026
S.R.JOSHI
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6-wpl-2960-1016.doc
Mr. Sunil Khair, PSI, Airport Police Station, present in Court.
Mr. Manoj Mane, Police inspector, present in Court.
CORAM: B. P. COLABAWALLA &
FIRDOSH P. POONIWALLA, JJ.
DATE: MARCH 05, 2026 P. C. 1 The above Writ Petition is filed seeking a Writ of Mandamus to
the Respondents to allot the same space on which a shed was constructed near and/or around Terminal 1 of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, and was being used for prayers during Ramzan. In the alternative, it is prayed to allot some other space of atleast 1500 sq. ft. for doing vazu and offering namaz.
2 The said structure/ temporary shed was demolished by the MMRDA, in April, 2025 as there was a complaint that the said structure/ shed was illegal and unauthorized. The present Petition has been filed only in February, 2026.
3 Despite this, purely on humanitarian grounds, we had requested the Respondents to consider whether some space could be allotted to the Page 2 of 5 MARCH 05, 2026 S.R.JOSHI ::: Uploaded on - 06/03/2026 ::: Downloaded on - 06/03/2026 22:25:20 ::: 6-wpl-2960-1016.doc Petitioners so that their members were not inconvenienced during the month of Ramzan.
4 The aforesaid exercise has been carried out and a survey report has been placed before us in a sealed cover dated 28 th February, 2026. This survey report has been signed by the Senior Inspector of Police Airport Police Station, Police Inspector (Law and Order) Airport Police Station, Anti Terrorism Cell Airport Police Station, the Chief Security Officer of MIAL, as well as the Deputy Manager/ Land Sites Security, MIAL. This survey report inspected seven different sites to try and see if the Petitioners could be temporarily accommodated so that they could do their namaz during the month of Ramzan. After inspecting these seven sites, the report says that all the survey locations were found unsuitable for construction of a temporary shed due to congestion, safety, and Airport Development Plan constraints. It is further opined that allowing drivers or other individuals of the Petitioners' Association to offer namaz at the prayer shed within the Terminal 1 premises of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, may cause a potential security risk.
5 Once we are faced with this report, which has been submitted by experts, we are unable to direct the Respondents to allot any space to the Page 3 of 5 MARCH 05, 2026 S.R.JOSHI ::: Uploaded on - 06/03/2026 ::: Downloaded on - 06/03/2026 22:25:20 ::: 6-wpl-2960-1016.doc Petitioners' Association, even for a temporary period, to undertake namaz during the month of Ramzan.
6 We also find, and it has been placed on record, that from the parking area, where the drivers of the Petitioners' Association park their cars/ rickshaws, a Mosque is within a distance of approximately 1 k.m. The Petitioners contend that the said structure is not a Mosque but is a Madrasa. Even assuming, for the sake of arguments, that the same is a Madrasa, it was conceded before us that prayers are offered in that structure. Hence, looking at the totality of the facts of the case, we find that we would not be able to grant any relief to the Petitioners.
7 The Petition is accordingly dismissed.
8 At this stage, the learned Counsel for the Petitioners submitted that they would like to make a representation to the MIAL, through the Airport Authority of India, for allotment of a suitable space for namaz in the new re-developed airport, which is proposed to come up in future. The Petitioners are free to make any such representation, if they so choose. However, it is clarified that it is entirely left to the discretion of the Airport Authority of India and MIAL to allot such a place, or otherwise, after taking all factors into consideration, including, but not limited to the safety, security and convenience of passengers that would be utilizing the Airport. Page 4 of 5
MARCH 05, 2026 S.R.JOSHI ::: Uploaded on - 06/03/2026 ::: Downloaded on - 06/03/2026 22:25:20 ::: 6-wpl-2960-1016.doc 9 In view of the dismissal of the Writ Petition, nothing survives in the Intervention Application filed therein and the same is also disposed of accordingly.
10 This order will be digitally signed by the Private Secretary/ Personal Assistant of this Court. All concerned will act on production by fax or email of a digitally signed copy of this order. [FIRDOSH P. POONIWALLA, J.] [B. P. COLABAWALLA, J.] Page 5 of 5 MARCH 05, 2026 S.R.JOSHI ::: Uploaded on - 06/03/2026 ::: Downloaded on - 06/03/2026 22:25:20 :::