The Bombay High Court today suggested the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) to seek the opinion of an independent, expert body, on the possible damage that could be caused to two Parsi temples in the city due to the ongoing work on the third corridor of the metro project. A bench of Justices A S Oka and R I Chagla advised the MMRC to consult independent experts to check whether the tunneling work for the Metro III line would cause any structural damage to the two heritage temples or to any other structures within their precincts.

The bench was hearing a plea filed by the Parsi community in the city opposing the drilling work for two tunnels for the Metro III line. The petitioners told the high court the MMRC was making two tunnels near Azad Maidan, South Mumbai, as part of the work on the Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ Metro III corridor. As per the petition, these tunnels will pass directly under the two fire temples and Atash Behrams (sacred fires),
one at the junction of Princess Street, and another at Kalbadevi in South Mumbai, both heritage sites.