'Lion of Bombay', Sir Pherozeshah Mehta's statue completes 100 years

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Monday said the imposing bronze statue of ‘Lion of Bombay’ Sir Pherozeshah Mehta has completed 100 years.

The statute of Mehta, who drafted the Bombay Municipal Corporation Act, was erected in front of the civic headquarters on April 3, 1923, following his death on November 5, 1915, the civic body stated in a release.

A sum of Rs 80,000 was collected from the community for erecting the statue, it said.

Born on August 4, 1845, Mehta had earned a place in the city's history as the 'Lion of Bombay'.

He got the privilege of becoming the first citizen of the metropolis for four years and served as a chairman for two consecutive years in 1884-85 and 1885-86, and as president in 1905-06 and again for two years in 1911-1912 in the municipal corporation, the release said.

Mehta’s biggest contribution was the drafting of the Bombay Municipal Corporation Act. The British had to accept that there should be a civic administration that is representative of the taxpayers and the city got a civic administration with people's representation, the release said.

Mehta's ideas were incorporated in the Municipal Corporations Act of 1872 and it sowed the seeds of civil liberties, it said.