Bombay HC tells MMRCL to hear Parsis opposing Metro 3

Mumbai: The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRCL) on Wednesday informed the Bombay high court that it will not carry out drilling work for metro 3 (Colaba-Bandra-Seepz) at Princess Street and Kalbadevi – where Atash Behram are located – for now. 

Following this, the court directed the petitioners (a group of Parsis) to make a representation to the MMRCL board. As per the HC order, the board will grant hearing to five high priests and other members of the Parsi community in connection with the metro work that is underway at two consecrated fires at the said places in South Mumbai.

The court was hearing a petition filed by a group of Parsis seeking realignment of the underground metro work at these places, as it was desecrating the holy fires and threatening to empty the holy well in Atash Behram.

A vacation bench of the Bombay high court comprising Justices S.J. Kathawalla and A.S. Gadkari directed the MMRCL board to give hearing to select members of the Parsi community and members of two trusts which manage the concerned Parsi fire temples at Princess Street and Kalbadevi.

Counsel Shyam Mehta along with advocate Zerick Dastur, on behalf of the petitioners including structural engineer Jamshed Sukhadwalla and priest Rooyintan Peer, requested the court to stay the drilling work for the route running under the Atash Behram which houses three holy fires.

The bench directed the state, MMRDA and MMRCL to file their replies to the petition before the next date of hearing.