Clarify stand on granting heritage tag to 'Savarkar Sadan': HC tells Maharashtra govt

Mumbai, Jul 15 (PTI) The Bombay High Court on Tuesday directed the Maharashtra government to clarify its stand on the issue of granting heritage status to the Savarkar Sadan at Dadar in central Mumbai.

Earlier, the Mumbai Heritage Conservation Committee (MHCC) had recommended granting heritage status to the structure, and accordingly, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had written to the government to grant the status.

However, there has been no development to date.

On Tuesday, a bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Sandeep Marne was informed by a government pleader that the MHCC would have to make a fresh recommendation.

The court then questioned the reason behind it.

"What was the problem with the earlier recommendation? MHCC recommended, so BMC wrote to you (government) to declare it as a Grade II Heritage structure," it said.

The bench asked the government and the BMC to file their affidavits and posted the matter for further hearing on August 6.

A public interest litigation filed by Abhinav Bharat Congress, a Hindu organisation led by Pankaj K Phadnis, had sought heritage protection for the building.

Savarkar Sadan, located in the Shivaji Park area of Dadar, was once the residence of Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.

The PIL urged the state government to act on a 2012 recommendation to include the building in Mumbai's official Heritage List.

The petitioner highlighted that despite the recommendation, the Urban Development Department had failed to take action for over a decade.

The petition also urged the Central government to consider declaring Savarkar Sadan a "Monument of National Importance," though it fell short of the 100-year age requirement under existing norms.

Drawing a comparison with Jinnah House, which enjoys protected heritage status, the petitioner questioned why similar recognition was denied to Savarkar Sadan. PTI