Bombay high court directs BMC to demolish illegal temple

The Bombay high court has directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to demolish an illegal Sai Baba temple being constructed inside a housing society’s premises at Prabhadevi, Dadar (West) but made it clear that the deity will remain untouched.

The division bench of justices Ranjana Desai and RG Ketkar was hearing a petition filed by the Western Prabhadevi (Flat Owners) Cooperative Housing Society opposing the construction of the illegal extension to the existing temple by Om Sai Mitra Mandal. Their petition stated that when the temple was initially constructed in 1989, it was only 8feet x 3feet. The mandal countered that it was 11x 9feet. “Do you (mandal) have any permission to construct? Go pray there but no huge construction can be allowed,” said justice Desai. She added, “Don’t touch the deity,’’

The petition stated that the mandal comprises of residents from the adjacent building. The society used that side of the compound for entering into the building and for parking their vehicles. The housing society learnt on September 9, 2010, the temple trust was getting construction material at site. When they questioned the trustees they did not tell whether they had permission from the BMC. The housing society lodged a compliant with the BMC and also with the police.