Last Updated: 12.06.24

Christ Church is one of the oldest and most beautiful buildings in Mahabaleshwar and is a listed heritage structure.

Until BEAG’s intervention in 1996, the church was being used as a carpentry workshop by a former president of the Mahabaleshwar Municipal Council.

Shed Encroachment in Church Property. Credit: BEAG Archive

Well Dug in Church Property. Credit: BEAG Archive

The construction material within the Church Compound. Credit: BEAG Archive

After BEAG’s intervention, the encroacher moved out. The church was restored and once again became a living church. At one of its services, the Governor of Maharashtra presided as the chief guest.

However, in 2004, illegal construction of a Hindu temple started in a part of the church compound.

BEAG objected to the concerned authorities and the work was stopped then, but it started again a year later. BEAG protested again, and again the construction stopped.

However, in 2015,  a wax museum started to come up on the site. Again BEAG objected, and sent representations to the Satara District Collector, to the Chief Officer of the Mahabaleshwar Municipal Council, and to the High Court Monitoring Committee.

Unauthorized wax museum in Christ Church. Credit: BEAG Archive

But the Mahabaleshwar Municipal Council has resisted initiating action against unauthorized construction, as it has been undertaken by the wife of an ex-president of the Municipal Council who had earlier on in 1996 encroached on the property.

BEAG’s persistent follow-up did lead to the Mahabaleshwar Municipal Council initiating action against the encroacher in 2016, but the encroacher challenged the Council’s action in the Trial Court and later at the Appellate Court, both of which ruled in favour of the Mahabaleshwar Municipal Council as there was no material on record to prove that the encroacher had any right to the property.

The Appellate Court order was challenged in the Bombay High Court, and in May 2018 the Court again ruled in favour of the Mahabaleshwar Municipal Council and dismissed the petition of the encroacher.

The HLMC and HCC for MPESZ have taken cognizance of this fact and have instructed the Chief Officer of Mahabaleshwar to initiate action against the encroachment.

In December 2018, all unauthorized constructions in the Christ Church compound had finally been demolished.

BEAG continues imploring concerned authorities to initiate action against all unauthorized structures, commercial activities and parking within heritage sites that do not have the requisite