Construction to begin for new temple at Jebel Ali next month

HINDU SHRINE TO BE LOCATED NEXT TO GURU NANAK DARBAR GURDWARA

Asprawling new Hindu temple will be built in Jebel Ali in Dubai by early 2022, Gulf News can reveal. This is in addition to the BAPS Temple coming up at the Abu Dhabi-Dubai border.

Last week, the trustees of the existing Sindhi Guru Darbar Temple held a Bhoomi Pujan (groundbreaking ceremony) at the new temple site, which is located next to the Guru Nanak Darbar Gurdwara that opened in 2012.

Speaking to Gulf News, Raju Shroff, one of the trustees of the Sindhi Guru Darbar Temple, said: “The new temple is an extension of the existing Sindhi Guru Darbar Temple in Bur Dubai and will be run by a core group of trustees. We have managed to secure land measuring 25,000 square feet from the Dubai government and the temple will be built at an estimated cost of Dh75 million.”

More space

The current Hindu temple in the Al Fahidi neighbourhood of Bur Dubai was built in 1958 on a piece of land granted by Shaikh Rashid Bin Saeed al Maktoum. The temple is popular with hundreds of devotees offering their prayers everyday.

But with limited space available here, the second site for the Sindhi Guru Darbar will provide a more spacious set up for expatriates residing in Dubai and the northern emirates to offer prayers.

First phase

The first phase of the BAPS temple which is being constructed on the Dubai-Abu Dhabi border is likely to be completed by end of 2022. It is being built on a 27-acre (10-hectare) plot of land donated by the Abu Dhabi government.

The trustees of the Sindhi Guru Darbar temple are in the process of seeking government permissions to go ahead with construction on the new site. .

The temple will be designed by Dubai-based group Architectural Corner. Construction is likely to begin next month.

A draft of the artist impression of the new temple that has been proposed to the Community Development Authority and will be finalised, subject to their approvals.