PARSI PETITION AGAINST TUNNEL: HEARING ON MON

MUMBAI:A Supreme Court bench of justices UU Lalit and Subhash Reddy on Friday heard the Parsi community’s petition seeking the realignment of the Metro-3 tunnel running below two fire temples in south Mumbai.

The bench said the next hearing of the matter would happen on December 10.

The petitioners approached the apex court on Monday, asking for the protection of Wadiaji and Anjuman Atash Behrams at Kalbadevi and Princess Street after the Bombay high court (HC) rejected their plea.

One of the lawyers representing the community said that the case was well represented by the former attorney general (AG) Mukul Rohatgi while the defence lawyer is present AG KK Venugopal.

“The hearing went on for almost two hours, after which the AG assured there won’t be drilling under the Atash Behram until the next date of hearing,” he said.

The apex court said the next hearing in this matter would be on December 10.

Last Friday, the Bombay HC rejected a petition by members of the Parsi community seeking the realignment of a tunnel for the Metro-3 (Colaba-bandra-seepz) line that goes below two revered fire temples in the city.

Atash Behram (Fire of Victory) is the title accorded to the highest grade of consecrated fire in Zoroastrianism.