Meherangir demolished

Two years after Meherangir — the bungalow built by nuclear scientist Dr Homi Bhabha’s parents Meherbai and Jehangir — was sold to Smita Crishna-Godrej for Rs 327 crores, it is being demolished to make way for a new structure, reported Hindustan Times (HT) on May 27, 2016. The Malabar Hill residence was sold at a public auction conducted by the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) in June 2014, as per the wishes of its owner, the late Jamshed Bhabha. At that time scientists from the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre and the Tata Institute for Fundamental Research had protested against the sale, insisting that the historic residence should be retained as a museum to honor India’s pioneering nuclear scientist who had lived there until his death in 1966 (see "Bhabha bungalow brouhaha,” Parsiana, July 7, 2014).

Meherangir being torn down Photo courtesy Hindustan Times

As recently as March 2016 the Supreme Court had asked the Maharashtra government to decide whether the bungalow could qualify as an "ancient monument under the Maharashtra Ancient Monuments and Archeological Sites Remains Act,” before disposing of a petition by Raam Dhuri, president of National Forum for Aided Institutions, reported HT. The Mumbai Heritage Conservation Committed had also reportedly said that Meherangir did qualify as a "heritage structure.”
"While there is no stay order on the demolition, the state government has not communicated their stand on the apex court’s directions. Even before their decision, the bungalow is being torn down,” rued Prashant Worlikar, president of Atomic Energy Workers and Staff Union. He told HT, "The demolition is a blot on Indian culture. If it wasn’t for Bhabha’s vision we would neither be a nuclear state…nor would (we) have been able to be at the forefront of cancer research and therapy.”
At the time of the sale Khushroo Suntook, chairman of the NCPA had described the protests as an "assault on private property.” Speaking to HT on June 19, 2014 he had confirmed that the proceeds of the sale would be used to modernize the theaters, upgrade equipment and expand its activities, fulfilling "the dreams and legacy of Dr Jamshed Bhabha… This was never Homi Bhabha’s bungalow. He was only a one-third owner. It is also not a heritage property. It was the private property of Jamshed Bhabha whose will states the bungalow shall be sold to fund NCPA.” Suntook explained that "it is a properly probated will. Homi was a great lover of culture himself. Both brothers would have been disappointed with the opposition to (the) auction… It is sad to see it go but that was his will.”