BMC gives permission for temporary shed for Vile Parle Jain Temple idols
MUMBAI: Nearly a month after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) razed most of the 90-year-old Digambar Jain Temple in Vile Parle amid widespread protests, the civic body has now permitted the construction of a temporary shed over the temple's idols ahead of the monsoon season.
The move follows a Bombay high court (HC) order issued on Wednesday, directing the Shree 1008 Digambar Jain Mandir Trust to formally apply to the BMC for interim shelter. Responding to the court's directive, the BMC approved the shed on Friday.
Permission has been granted for a 232-square-metre structure at a nominal charge of ₹77 per square metre—amounting to ₹17,877. The approval is valid till October 31, contingent on the payment, which the temple trust confirmed has already been made.
'We will begin constructing the shed from Sunday,' said Anil Jain, trustee of the temple trust. 'The idols, the temple premises, and the saints who visit currently have no shelter. At the same time, we continue our legal battle against what we believe was an illegal demolition by the BMC. We are demanding that the temple be rebuilt.'
In the wake of the incident, the Bombay high court has ordered a status quo to prevent further action at the site.
BJP MLA Mangal Prabhat Lodha, who met with civic officials and temple trustees on Friday when the shed was approved, welcomed the development. 'This is not merely about religious sentiment, but a matter of public faith. We stood by the Jain community, and this decision reinforces their belief in justice,' he said.
Lodha had earlier written to the assistant commissioner of the K-East ward on April 24, highlighting alleged encroachments in the same area by the Neminath Cooperative Housing Society and Radhakrishna Hotel, and demanded similar action.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
Rehabilitate SGNP residents within 10km radius: Shinde
Mumbai: Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) slumdwellers should be rehabilitated within a 10km radius of the park, deputy CM Eknath Shinde said on Wednesday. "As per the court's directive, all civic facilities should be made residents get spacious houses by providing additional FSI," said Shinde during a review meeting of Kurla and Chandivli assembly constituencies. "The Gorakhdham site should be considered; it should be inspected and verified for rehabilitation," he added. Shinde also directed immediate repairs of MMRDA-built PAP buildings in Chandivli and said the 650-bed hospital, which is not yet operational, be handed over to BMC. Shinde said suggestions and objections have been invited regarding redevelopment of buildings in the airport's funnel zone in Vile Parle. "The responses will be studied and the errors rectified while finalising the policy. Discussions will be held with the Airports Authority of India on retaining the joggers park in Vile Parle (E)," he said. — Chaitanya Marpakwar
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Time of India
Mahayuti to contest civic polls together, says Fadnavis
Akola: The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance will contest the coming local body elections in the state together, but there will be friendly fights where a tie-up does not materialise, CM Devendra Fadnavis said. Fadnavis was speaking to reporters here after launching irrigation and power generation projects. Elections to several municipal corporations and other local bodies including the BMC have been pending for the past three years. The state BJP president, working president and election committee of the party are authorized to take decisions related to the local bodies' elections, Fadnavis said. "We have decided to contest the polls as an alliance. There will be friendly fights wherever a tie-up does not work out," he said. The Ajit Pawar-led NCP and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena are the two other members of the alliance. When asked about Prahar Janshakti Party leader Bachhu Kadu's hunger strike, Fadnavis said district guardian minister Chandrashekar Bawankule will speak to him. Kadu has been on a hunger strike for four days over demands related to farmers' issues. To a question on PM Narendra Modi inquiring about Sharad Pawar's health when he met MP and Pawar's daughter Supriya Sule during a meeting with all-party delegations which visited foreign countries to put forth India's stand after Operation Sindoor, Fadnavis said, "Humanity, sensitivity exist in politics. We are ideological adversaries, not enemies." State govt is stable and Mahayuti allies will stay together, he added.
The Hindu
5 hours ago
- The Hindu
‘Minister, functionaries with no knowledge of archaeology cannot comment on expert's findings'
'When the Archaeological Survey of India's (ASI) archaeologist Amarnath Ramakrishna has released a detailed report on the ancient civilization in Keezhadi based on the excavations from his official position, how can a Union Minister and party members who possess no knowledge about the subject can comment on the expert's knowledge and findings,' questioned Madurai-based archaeologist C. Santhalingam. He was speaking at a protest conducted by Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers Artists Association here on Wednesday to demand the release of the excavation reports of Keezhadi. Mr. Santhalingam said that if the Union government was sceptical about the archaeologist's expertise, they should appoint a team to verify the facts of the report. Impugning the archaeologist's knowledge and accusing him of possessing a regional mindset was not something a government should do to impose its ideology and politics, he stated. The recent political developments staged by BJP were contrary to their own position when a senior ASI Director General released a book on Adichanallur excavation findings, he said. While Keezhadi excavations have unearthed the history 100 years after the Adichanallur findings, how could one accept Adichanallur and not accept something that happened after that period, he questioned. 'One of the oldest hero stones in Puliman Kombai with Brahmi script inscriptions dating back to 3rd to 4th century BCE proves the literary knowledge possessed by the Tamils, the politically motivated statements of the Union government and BJP leaders show their lack of scientific temper,' Mr. Santhalingam observed. The Indian people before the arrival of British believed that the Mahabharata and Ramayana were the only history of India, he said. 'If not for the British, who carried out an extensive research across the country and brought the history of Brahmi and languages evolved from that and showed the world a ruler named Ashoka, most of the truth would have been shadowed by the lies of rulers and politicians,' he added. Though the current protests might look like one between parties, it was actually the protest between Aryans and Dravidians which goes back to 2,000 years ago, he stated. Even in regions surrounding Madurai, the Jain beds in several hillocks were commonly known as Panja Pandava Padukaigal (a term linked to Mahabharata) to people, he said. 'Only because of the evidence-based research and study the places are being known as Jain beds which were used by Jains as rest place,' he stated. Madhukur Ramalingam also spoke during the protest.
