Mauritius: Ministry of Housing and Lands Identifies 174 Illegal Structures Across the Island

The Ministry of Housing and Lands has identified 174 sites with illegal structures following a request from the Beach Authority. As per the provision of the Pas Géométriques Act, Notices have now been issued.

The figures were revealed by the Minister of Housing and Lands, Mr Shakeel Ahmed Yousuf Abdul Razack Mohamed, during a press conference held on Friday 11 July 2025 in Ebène.

According to Mr Mohamed, the Ministry's responsibility is to maintain control over State Land and Pas Géométriques, ensuring that no further illegal construction takes place in these areas.

The Minister explained the importance of conducting an inventory to identify cases of encroachment on both State Land and Pas Géométriques. He affirmed that this exercise was a critical step to ensure the integrity of land management policies and prevent the illegal occupation of public spaces.

Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn

Out of the 174 sites, 60 were identified as initiatives by sociocultural groups. The Minister clarified that no demolitions would occur in these cases and highlighted that the notices were issued as warnings rather than orders for pull down, cautioning against any further extensions of these religious structures. "It is important to note that while these religious sites will not face demolition, any further encroachment on State Land will not be tolerated," he added.

In light of growing tensions around this issue, the Minister also warned against using these notices to create division among communities, underlining the impact such actions can have on social cohesion. "It is essential that we maintain unity and avoid exploiting this matter to sow discord among the population," he stressed.

AllAfrica publishes around 500 reports a day from more than 120 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.