Shani no obstacle for Okalipuram project

Lord Shani Mahadev, who is believed to remove obstacles faced by his devotees, will be given a barricaded space of a three-metre radius to allow construction of the eight-lane Okalipuram corridor.

BBMP counsel V Sreenidhi, on instructions, submitted this in response to a petition seeking demolition of the historic temple for easing traffic.

A division bench headed by Chief Justice Dinesh Maheshwari was hearing a public interest litigation filed by K S Subramanyan, a resident of Mathikere who had moved the court seeking directions for demolition of the Shani Mahadeva temple situated at the Okalipuram junction, close to the city railway station.

The BBMP counsel submitted that the Okalipuram eight-lane corridor will be fully barricaded resulting in a barricade created for the Shani Mahadev idol within a radius of three metres. He further stated that this will indirectly create an island for the idol and there will be no space for vehicular or human movement around the idol. There will also be no space for parking.

The structure of the temple will fall apart during the construction of the corridor that is expected to be completed within six to eight months.

The court adjourned the hearing of the case.