Suggest other ways to protect temple, says HC

Written By Mayura Janwalkar | Updated:

As the dispute over the crash wall built around Siddhivinayak Temple continues, the Bombay High Court wants to know alternative security measures.

As the dispute over the crash wall built around Siddhivinayak Temple continues, the Bombay High Court wants to know alternative security measures.

A division bench of justices Bilal Nazki and SA Bobade asked the state government to consult a government security agency such as the Intelligence Bureau (IB) or the Central Bureau of Investigation to ascertain plausible options.

A PIL by Vinod Desai and nine residents of housing societies around the temple alleged that traffic in the area had worsened after the wall was constructed. 

State advocate general Ravi Kadam said the purpose of the wall was to prevent any vehicle carrying explosives from crashing into the temple.

Justice Bobade asked if such a vehicle could be stopped further away from the temple and whether the state had weighed options to ensure security without  disturbing property and inconveniencing citizens. The court also asked the state government to furnish maps of the area around the temple before and after the wall was constructed.

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