MUMBAI, July 12 -- The Brihanmumbai Municipal Engineers' Union (BMEU) has written to Municipal Commissioner and Administrator Bhushan Gagrani, demanding the reinstatement and promotion of Navnath Ghadge, the assistant commissioner of K/East ward, who was abruptly transferred following the controversial demolition of a nearly 90-year-old Digambar Jain temple in Vile Parle East earlier this year. The temple, located within the premises of Neminath Cooperative Housing Society on Nehru Road, was razed on April 16 in compliance with a Bombay High Court directive. The civic body maintained that the temple structure was unauthorised and had been built without approvals in a residential building's open space. Officials involved in the demolition stated that care was taken to preserve the sanctity of the idol and carry out the process respectfully. However, the demolition triggered an intense backlash from sections of the Jain community, with support from ministers across political parties. Protesters alleged the action was carried out at the behest of a local businessman seeking to redevelop the plot for commercial use, including malls and hotels. The civic administration transferred Ghadge shortly after the protests, despite his recent appointment to the post on April 1, 2025. In its petition, the temple trust challenged the demolition in the Bombay High Court. But on July 7, Justice Gauri Godse upheld the BMC's action, stating that the structure was unauthorised and the demolition was lawful under Section 53(1) of the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning (MRTP) Act, 2005. Following the court ruling, the BMEU argued that Ghadge had acted in accordance with legal orders and that his transfer was politically motivated. "He executed the court-ordered demolition by following due process. Instead of being penalised, he should be honoured and reinstated," said Sainath Rajyadaksha, acting president of BMEU. The union has demanded that Ghadge be reinstated as assistant commissioner of the K/East ward and promoted as deputy chief engineer (civil) as per a resolution passed on April 1, 2025. It warned of agitation if the demands were not met. A senior civic official, however, defended the decision to transfer Ghadge, stating that the issue was not the demolition itself, but the fact that he failed to consult senior officials before acting on a sensitive religious matter. "He bypassed protocol. In similar cases-such as illegal shrine demolitions in Parel or Dharavi-the civic body took months and consulted top officials. This was an overreach on his part," the official said. Currently, Ghadge is serving as deputy chief engineer in the BMC's Slum Sanitation Programme....