‘Mumbai airport work has damaged cross’

Mumbai: Residents of Sahar village have filed a criminal complaint with the metropolitan magistrate saying that construction debris from the Mumbai airport modernisation project has damaged a 100-year-old cross worshiped by local residents and has blocked their access to the shrine.
The complaint filed on Friday at the Andheri metropolitan magistrate against Mumbai International Airport Pvt Limited (MIAL) and an engineering company that has contracted civil work in the project, has said that the cross which belongs to the Peres family who stay in the village, has been damaged.
The complainant, Nicholas Almeida, a resident of Church Pakhadi in Sahar, said that the cross was worshiped by families staying in Sahar and Marol. It is situated next to Ambassador Flight Kitchen near the Sahar terminals. A religious ceremony is held at the cross every May.
Almeida’s complaint said cement and construction waste has been dumped around the cross making it difficult for residents to access the shrine. The complainant has asked the court to issue process against the accused for committing an offence under section 295 of the Indian Penal Code for defiling a place of worship.
20/02/11 Manoj R Nair/Daily News & Analysis

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Categories: Airports Mar 2011