JOIN USAarey issue now a tussle between Thackeray and Fadnavis
A day after Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray announced the scrapping of the Mumbai metro car shed (Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd) at Aarey forest and shifted it to Kanjurmarg, the state BJP has lashed out the Maha Vikas Aghadi government.
It now has compounded into a political clash between Thackeray and ex-Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis.
Describing the decision as unfortunate, Fadnavis, a senior BJP leader, said that it would result in escalation of cost.
“Unfortunate decision to shift Metro carshed from Aarey to Kanjurmarg and that too just to satisfy ego.This decision will increase the cost of the project by at least Rs 4,000 crore and this cost escalation is assessed by the committee appointed by this Government,” Fadnavis tweeted.
Why such a huge burden just to satisfy someone’s ego? Whom does government want to suffer and for what?#Aarey #MumbaiMetro
— Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) October 11, 2020
According to him, this means that the Metro project, which would have been in the service of Mumbaikars just next year, has now been postponed indefinitely. “Rs 400 crore was already spent for the Aarey car shed, Rs 1,300 crore wasted due to staying of project and additional cost escalation of Rs 4,000 crore,” said Fadnavis.
“Rs 2,400 crore cost burden if in case Kanjurmarg land dispute remains as it was. What will be today’s cost…. Metro project delayed for indefinite period," he added.
In addition to this, all the previous tenders will have to be scraped and a new process will have to be followed.
— Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) October 11, 2020
No DPR or feasibility report has been made for this site.#Aarey
"What exactly does the state government want to achieve by blocking the seamless journey of Mumbaikars? The MVA government is misleading Mumbaikars,” he said.
Announcing the decision on Sunday, Thackeray, an ace photographer and nature lover, in a webcast said: "Two Metro corridors -- Colaba-Bandra-Seepz (Metro Line 3) and Swami Samarth Nagar-Vikhroli (Metro Line 6) will be integrated. I am happy to announce that Aarey car shed is now being moved to Kanjurmarg. The plot in Kanjurmarg is government land and it will be provided at zero cost for the Metro car shed. The money used to construct the building -- Rs 100 crore -- will not go waste either as the building will be used for a public purpose.”
Immediately after Thackeray’s address, his son and state’s Environment Minister Aditya Thackeray tweeted: “Aarey saved!”.
Aditya’s younger brother and naturalist Tejas Thackeray too welcomed the decision.