Mumbai Metro line construction: Parsis meet Uddhav Thackeray to save fire temples

Mumbai: The Parsi community in Mumbai on Friday met Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray to discuss the probable threat to their ancient religious sites due to the construction of a metro project.

The members of the community urged Thackeray to change the route of the Metro III alignment as it posed threat to two of their ancient fire temples.

A major part of the proposed underground metro tunnel in South Mumbai will pass under Jagannath Sunkersett Road, just where two fire temples - Wadiaji Atash Behram and Anjuman Atash Behram-are located.

Parsi community fears that the construction will break the continuous contact of the temple fire with earth, and thus diminish the magnetic circuits. Fire, together with clean water, are seen as agents of ritual purity in their religion.

Earlier in October, several Parsis also staged a protest outside a Bhika Behram fire Temple to draw government's attention towards the issue.

The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation's (MMRC) Metro III project is completely underground and will connect Colaba in South Mumbai to Bandra and Santacruz Electronics Export Processing Zone (SEEPZ) in the western suburbs of the city.