Two Parsi priests meet Fadanavis over Metro 3 route

Two high priests from the Parsi community - Khurshed Dastur and Dastur Firoze Kotwal on Thursday met with chief minister over the Metro 3 route. In the meeting were also present Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL) officials who are completing the Metro 3 project.

The meeting came even as not just the members of the community, but also most high priests of the community had written to the prime minister and chief minister against the Metro 3 route. Dastur Firoze Kotwal was one of the priests who was against the route and had written a letter against its route to the prime minister and chief minister.

The Metro 3 route (Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ) has three Parsi community structures that has got the community protesting. These Ajnuman Atash Behram and Wadiaji Atash Behram near Marine Lines station and the Bhikha Behram Well near Cross Maidan.

There has been much consternation and debate in the community ever since it is has been stated that the route also passed beneath the sanctum sanctorum, and could affect wells inside Atash Behrams.

While the two priests refused to comment on the issue, a person in the meeting said, "We are not speaking because the chief minister office will be coming out with a statement assuring us on the Metro 3 work that it will not affect the structure of the fire temples nor the wells in both the fire temples. The MMRCL too will be giving an assurance and from time to time they will be taking care of that. The route is not passing below the sanctum sanctorum is what we were informed."