Current status of bungalow of late Dr. Homi Jehangir Bhabha

The Government of India, Department of Atomic Energy had received representations from Atomic Energy Employees Union and others to preserve the bungalow of late Dr. Homi Jehangir Bhabha as a national monument. The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) had written to the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Maharashtra to declare the bungalow ‘Mehrangir’ as a “National Monument” under the provisions of Maharashtra Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1960. DAE as Respondent No.5 in the PIL No.68/2014 on the same matter in the Bombay High Court had filed an affidavit requesting the Hon’ble High Court, Bombay to issue a direction to Respondent No.1 to 3 viz. Chief Secretary of Government of Maharashtra, Additional Chief Secretary, Tourism & Cultural Affairs. Govt. of Maharashtra and Chairman, Mumbai Heritage Conservation Committee (MHCC) to take immediate steps to list the Bungalow “Mehrangir” as a protected monument.

The Hon’ble High Court, Bombay vide its Order dated 17.9.2014 disposed the PIL observing that “the purpose of the Public Interest litigation was to activate the State and Central Authorities into taking steps; Now that the authorities are alive to the situation, no useful purpose will be served by keeping this Public Interest Litigation pending any further.” Subsequently, DAE had again written a letter to Secretary, Tourism and Culture Affairs Department of the Government of Maharashtra to declare the bungalow as ‘Protected Monument’. The matter is pending with the State Government of Maharashtra.

After death of Dr. Homi Jehangir Bhabha in 1966, his brother Shri Jamshed Jehangir Bhabha was the sole owner of the property. Before his death in 2007, Shri Jamshed Jehangir Bhabha had executed a Will on 4th September 1990 “bequeathing his estate and effects unto his Trustees upon Trust to sell, call in and convert into money the same, to be utilised in the form of a commemorative capital donation to the National Centre for Performance Arts (NCPA) on the condition that a suitable segment thereof shall bear the name Jamshed Bhabha”. The said bungalow has since been auctioned by the NCPA on 18.6.2014.

This information was provided by MoS in the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of State in the Ministry of Personnel, PG & Pensions, Dr Jitendra Singh in written reply to an unstarred question in the Lok Sabha today.

NK/PB