Mumbai News: BMC Allows Temporary Shed At Demolished Vile Parle Jain Temple After Month-Long Wait, Community Relieved

Mumbai: In a significant relief for the Jain community, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation gave permission to erect a temporary shed above the Digambar Jain Temple in Vile Parle, exactly a month after it was demolished, causing widespread outrage among the community.

On Friday, a meeting was organised between the members of the Jain community and civic officials of K/East ward in presence of state minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha. Following the meeting, the civic body granted the permission to the temple trust to erect a temporary monsoon shed at the temple site, which stands demolished. The permission is a major development for the community as it was trying to get the permission for an overhead shed from past one month.

Lodha, said, “This is a major triumph of public sentiment and faith. Hopefully, with faith and blessings, a grand Jain temple will soon be rebuilt at the same location.”

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has been alleged of illegally demolishing the 90-year-old 1008 Parshvanath Digambar Jain Temple located in Vile Parle’s Kambliwadi. The civic body is accused of rushing to demolish the temple before the High Court could hear the stay appeal against demolition. The Free Press Journal reported the issue first and has been consistently following up the matter.

The temple was demolished after the city civil court dismissed the temple trust’s appeal against the demolition on April 8 but gave an oral stay for a week to allow the petitioner to approach the High Court. However, the trust has accused BMC of carrying out the demolition on April 16 before their appeal could be heard. While the community aims to build the temple at the same place, it was trying to get the permission to erect a shed over the temple.

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday refused to grant urgent relief to the Vile Parle Digambar Jain Temple in its application seeking permission to construct an overhead shed in view of the ensuing monsoon. Vacation judge, Justice Arif Doctor, however, asked the temple trust to approach the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and make the application for the construction of the overhead shed.