Trust approaches HC for Tilak musuem at Girgaum Chowpatty

MUMBAI: The Lokmanya Tilak Smarak Samiti, a private trust, has approached the Bombay High Court, seeking that it be granted permission to construct an underground museum in the memory of freedom fighter Bal Gangadhar Tilak at the Girgaum Chowpatty. The trust on Monday mentioned its plea before a bench of justices AS Oka and RI Chagla and sought an urgent hearing.

Its lawyer, S V Talekar, told the bench it was due to the efforts of the trust that the Maharashtra government had renamed the Girgaum Chowpatty as "Swaraj Bhoomi" in Tilak's memory in 2015. However, he said, the trust's subsequent plan to construct a "permanent archway, an underground museum and a flagpole" in Tilak's memory at the Chowpatty was thwarted after the courtappointed High Power Committee refused to grant permission.

Talekar told the bench that the proposed construction work would not cause any damage to the Chowpatty area or the beachfront. Yet, the state government and the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority were "reluctant to grant the necessary approvals", because the High Power Committee was refusing permission, Talekar said.

The bench, however, refused to give any directions to the High Power Committee or grant any other interim relief to the trust.

Last year, the high court had appointed a three-member committee to regulate and supervise construction works as well as organisation of public events at the Girgaum Chowpatty with a view to prevent any damage to the area and the beachfront.