CM Thackeray unveils plans to boost infrastructure, tourism in Marathwada

The Marathwada Mukti Sangram Din is celebrated on September 17 annually

In a major move, Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray announced an over two-dozen point plan for Marathwada to boost infrastructure, tourism and education sectors in the region.

“We are committed to developing Marathwada,” the chief minister said addressing the Marathwada Liberation Day celebrations in Aurangabad.

Shiv Sena supremo Balasaheb Thackeray had a “special relationship” with Marathwada and the Maha Vikas Aghadi government is working towards the region's development and putting it on the international map, he said.

The Marathwada Mukti Sangram Din, celebrated on September 17 annually, marks the anniversary of Marathwada’s integration with India in 1948, 13 months after Independence.

The Marathwada region -- comprising eight districts of Aurangabad, Beed, Hingoli, Jalna, Latur, Nanded, Osmanabad and Parbhani -- is spread over a vast 64,590 sq km.

In fact, Aurangabad is the tourism capital of Maharashtra.

Thackeray said the state government is working on three key projects to enhance connectivity between Shirdi and Aurangabad.

This includes railway connectivity between Aurangabad and Ahmedabad, looking at feasibility of opening Shirdi-Aurangabad flights and widening of the Shirdi-Aurangabad road.

“A lot of people visit Shirdi for darshan of Sai Baba... we want these people to also visit Marathwada... there is a lot in the region and people of the country must visit it,” he said.

The chief minister said that 144 schools of the Nizam-era would be redeveloped.

A Saint-peeth course on the illustrious saint culture of the state would be started in Paithan and Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University in Aurangabad must shoulder the responsibility.

He informed that the government has approved a highway between Jalna and Nanded cities in the Marathwada region which will connect to the under-construction Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Corridor.

Thackeray also said that the government would look at the feasibility of linking Aurangabad and Marathwada to the bullet train route.

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