Members of the Parsi community in Navsari staged a strong protest on Friday against government officials who arrived to demarcate land for acquisition at the sacred Doongarwadi precinct. The officials from the Navsari prant office and land acquisition department were met with resistance when they came to mark land needed for a proposed new bridge over the Purna River on National Highway 64.
Community Stands Firm Against Further Land Loss
The protesting community members expressed deep frustration, stating they had already ceded a significant portion of their land just five years prior. Kersi Deboo, former vice-chairman of the National Commission for Minorities, highlighted the historical and religious significance of the site. He revealed that the community had given up 28,000 square feet of land from the same property in 2019 for a road-widening project.
Following that acquisition, the community had to demolish a century-old boundary wall and construct a new one at a cost of Rs 35 lakh. Deboo emphasized that several holy structures, including the Dakhma (Tower of Silence), are now situated perilously close to this new wall. "We are not in a position to cede more land to the government," he asserted, adding that the officials arrived without prior intimation. A notice was only served on Thursday, a day before the demarcation visit.
Official Notice and Community's Planned Resistance
The notice served by the Navsari prant officer to the trust managing Doongarwadi cited the National Highway Act as the legal basis for the acquisition. It stated that the acquisition is for a new bridge on the Dandi Heritage Route downstream of the existing bridge. The notification was published in the government gazette on November 3, 2025, and displayed on the local notice board on November 14.
The notice cautioned trustees to cooperate with the District Inspector of Land Records (DILR) and other officials during the survey. However, the community is gearing up for a firm legal and administrative battle. "We will contest this up to the highest authority," Deboo declared. The community plans to lodge complaints with the Prime Minister, the Chief Minister, and seek intervention from the National Commission for Minorities.
Official Response and Next Steps
Navsari prant officer Janam Thakore explained that the project requires about 200 square metres of land from the Doongarwadi property to facilitate the turning radius for heavy vehicles approaching the new bridge. A team from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and DILR had visited for a Joint Measurement Survey (JMS).
In response to the protest, the Navsari collectorate has called a meeting on Saturday to discuss the issue with representatives of the Parsi community. This meeting is expected to be crucial in determining the future course of the contentious land acquisition process that pits infrastructure development against the preservation of a minority community's centuries-old religious heritage.
