Illegal shrines flourish despite HC order

Three temples have come up on the footpath of Dr Ambedkar Road in Khar

MUMBAI: Within two years of the Bombay High Court order calling for demolition of illegal shrines obstructing roads and footpaths in the city, three temples have already come up on the footpath of Dr Ambedkar Road in Khar (W).

Locals in the vicinity say that despite court orders to demolish such shrines in the past, a cosmetic demolition of the temples was done. However, they continued to remain as a permanent fixture. “Debris was dumped on top of the shrines to show the BMC that they were razed as they were pre-warned by the authorities,” said Mary D’Souza, a resident of the area.

Vijay Balamwar, assistant municipal commissioner, A ward, was also informed about an illegal Hanuman temple near Azad Maidan.

Based on a complaint filed by the Janhit Manch, which alleged that more than 600 shrines had come up in violation of rules at various places across the city, civic body had undertaken a massive drive in 2006.

“Around 1,300 illegal shrines were pulled down then. We have made a review petition which is still pending. On surveying some of the roads, we found that some temples have resurfaced in the city. We will take up the matter again,” said Bhagwanji Rayani from Janhit Manch, who’s PIL had elicited a response from the court.

Of late, another new illegal shrine, under the name of a samaj mandir for the Dalit community is also being constructed on a site reserved for a playground under the Development Plan at Shirley Rajan Road in Khar (W). Three municipal taps were removed to make way for the structure. Around 300 residents from Rajan residents association carried out a signature campaign for razing the structure.

A dalit woman said, “This mandir will be used by our community to solemnise marriages so that we don’t have to go too far.”

“Children will be restricted to playing only football and cricket if this structure comes up. One of the slum residents also threatened a woman from the association. We have logded a police complaint in this regard,” said a resident on condition of anonymity.

While the locals chose to call it a samaj mandir being constructed from the MPLAD funds, local corporator Kavita Rodricks, denied it saying that the community had collected money on their own to build the structure and a balwadi was to be constructed instead.

While Rodricks insisted that an NOC was given by the BMC for the structure, assistant engineer from H (W) ward denied having given any such approval for the construction.