Core group members fighting to save Wadia fire temple from Metro III line tunnelling find themselves on opposite sides after meet with Sena chief
The fight to save the holy Wadia fire temple (aatash behram) on JSS Road from the Metro III tunnel, which will pass through its sanctum, took a new turn last afternoon, when Parsis met Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray at Sena Bhavan. Even as Uddhav promised to write to the MMRC to realign the route, bringing relieved sighs from many in the group, structural engineer Jamshed Sukhadwalla, who has been leading the fight to save the aatash behram and the Bhikha Behram Kuan from the very beginning, said that wasn't enough and the entire JSS Road needed to be avoided.
As per the plan, the Metro III tunnel will pass right under the sanctum sanctorum of the Wadiaji Aatash Behram on Princess Street. File pic
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He described his feelings after the meeting as "not happy", adding that the issue had been looked at only from an aatash behram point of view, and the fact that a majority of the buildings on JSS Road no longer withheld their monolithic qualities and were in a dilapidated condition was overlooked. A member of the 'Save Aatash Behram' group, Pervez Cooper, however, called it "a very good and positive meeting".
Parsi community members discuss the issue with Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray at Sena Bhavan on Friday
Temple or road?
"I am not a part of the 'Save Aatash Behram' group, I attended the meeting as an independent structural engineer," said Sukhadwalla. "My interests are to preserve my fire temple and to get the Metro alignment away from JSS Road. Most of the buildings on this stretch are dilapidated. How will they withstand the vibrations during the second piling and boring of the tunnel?"
The Bhikha Behram Kuan
"His announcement was that the Sena would recommend to the MMRC that the alignment be changed... but... the alignment will still be along JSS Road. As a structural engineer, I'm not in favour of this."
Cooper, 57, on the other hand, said, "Uddhavji told us that he would take the matter to the highest level with the CM, and that he would visit the site shortly to see it for himself."
"The aatash behram is a priority, but the people living along the road also must be thought of as well; where will they go? There are other options available for realignment; they need to be explored."
'Sanctum the first priority'
The Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP), which recently lent its support to the cause, however, minced no words in making its priorities clear. "We can't take on the cause of the entire road; that's beyond our scope," said BPP chairman Yezdi Desai."We are interested only in preserving the sanctuary of the aatash behram. The BPP's first priority is to save the sanctum."
When mid-day called up at Uddhav's office, there was no response, while the MMRCL spokesperson refused to comment on the matter.
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