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Mumbai: A major war of words has erupted between the ruling Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over credit taking for inauguration of the two Metro rail lines 2A and 7 of phase 1 on April 2. The BJP also sought to corner the MVA government over the stalled car shed project for the underground Colaba-Seepz Metro 3 project
A poster war has erupted with the BJP putting up hoardings along the Metro rail lines informing the public about how the project had received central government funding and that they were launched during the regime of former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Both the Metro rail lines linking Dhanukarwadi-Dahisar-Aarey were inaugurated by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Gudi Padwa, Maharashtrian New Year eve on April 2. The two lines connect the western and eastern sides of the suburbs
Commercial operations began from Sunday (April 3) and the 20km corridor is expected to reduce traffic on the Western Express Highway and Link Road, along which it has been created. It’s after eight long years that the people of Mumbai will get metro lines after the first corridor was started between Versova and Ghatkopar.
The BJP has put up hoardings around the metro projects with pictures of PM Modi and former Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. The hoardings mention that the projects were started during Fadnavis’ regime and got financial aid from the central government.
Fadnavis while speaking in Nagpur on Monday launched an attack on the MVA government especially their erstwhile partner the Shiv Sena. Fadnavis said how the projects were speedily completed during his regime and also raked up the Aarey metro car shed issue to corner the Sena.
“It’s great to know that out of all the metro works will start at a great speed, the work of two metros is completed. However, the most important Metro 3 line from Colaba to Seepz (40km) is 80 percent complete now but it can’t be started for another four years because there is no car shed. If the Aarey car shed is approved, this metro line will be functional in only nine months. So, while they (Sena) are trying to take credits they will also have to take the criticism for stalling projects,” Fadnavis said.
BJP leader Ram Kadam also blamed the MVA government saying the metro work has been delayed due to dilly-dallying and ego tussle between the three parties.
“If we go by the work completed during our regime, the whole metro line should have been completed and made available to people around a year ago. But due to dilly-dallying by the MVA Government, only a partial phase is available to the public. Who is responsible for this delay”? questioned Kadam
Kadam further added “It is the negligence and dilly-dallying by Maharashtra government that should be held responsible. The crucial metro 3 corridor should have been available for Mumbaikars by now however, it is only because of the ego of Shiv Sena that the Aarey car shed project was stalled. Now, metro 3 won’t be available for Mumbaikars for the next 5 to 7 years. The Fadnavis regime had laid out 324 Kms of Metro lines in five years whereas Congress-NCP together could lay only 11km in their 11 years of rule.”
