New ceramic tiles at the 300-year-old Bhikha Behram Well have raised many eyebrows. A city-based activist on Monday complained to BMC’s heritage committee, drawing their attention to the raising of the compound floor level and the flooring of the heritage well being replaced with ceramic tiles. The activist, Zoru Bhathena, claimed that permission was not taken for carrying out the works. The trustees, however, told mid-day that they have stopped the work and applied for the relevant permissions.

Bhathena, in the letter addressed to the heritage committee and A ward office, said, “Bhikha Behram well at Churchgate is a 300-year-old grade-1 heritage structure. It is observed that the compound floor level is being raised and the floor tiles are being replaced/covered over with ceramic tiles. Despite our best efforts, we have been unable to get a copy of the heritage NOC for this work, which leads us to believe that no permissions have been obtained.”