Conflicting claims: SHC appoints officer to inspect temple restoration

The structure, located in Clifton, was damaged by excavation for a traffic improvement project .

KARACHI: Sindh High Court (SHC) appointed its official (Nazir) to inspect whether or not work has been started to restore parts of the 150-year-old Hindu temple, which was allegedly damaged by excavation for a traffic improvement project in Clifton.

The Nazir will present the inspection report within a week, ordered the bench, headed by Chief Justice Maqbool Baqar. The bench passed this order after the lawyer, representing the All Pakistan Hindu Panchayat Council, alleged that the authorities had failed to commence restoration and improvement work at the site of the Shri Ratneshwar Mahandev temple.

The temple was damaged during the excavation that was being carried out nearby as part of the traffic improvement plan being carried out in the area, alleged the council's general secretary, Ravi Dawani.

On September 6, the bench had directed the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) and the private construction company to ensure protection and restoration of the structures of the temple, which were damaged during the excavation for a flyover and underpasses from the Park Towers intersection to the AT Naqvi Roundabout.

On Tuesday, the petitioner's lawyer, Haider Waheed, claimed that despite repeated and categorical orders by the court and the undertaking given by the lawyer on behalf of the private builder, the renovation work had not commenced yet.

Advocate Khalid Javed Khan, who represented the builder, contended that KMC has engaged a civil structural engineer to execute the work. The renovation work on the ground has commenced after completion of the paper work, he claimed. Haider Waheed, however, refuted the claim.

In order to resolve the controversy, both the lawyers suggested that the SHC Nazir may be deputed to visit the site and report to the court on the state of affairs.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 15^th, 2014.