Centre has cleared maximum projects for city, says Nitin Gadkari
Gadkari claimed that the Centre had cleared the highest ever number of projects for Maharashtra.
Mumbai: Union minister Nitin Gadkari claimed that by the end of the Lok Sabha term in 2019, development work worth Rs 5 lakh crore would be started in Maharashtra. Speaking at a meet the press function in the city, Mr Gadkari gave details of the ongoing work by his three departments, roadways, waterways and irrigation, in Maharashtra and said that Rs 4.95 lakh crore projects were already underway in the city.
Mr Gadkari claimed that the Centre had cleared the highest ever number of projects for Maharashtra.
“The road transport department and the National Highway Authority of India have cleared projects worth Rs 2,82855 lakh crore in state. The work of these projects started on ground of cleared in tender process. Also shipping ministry has initiated projects worth Rs 70,000 crore. Also, the irrigation department is working on Rs 75,000 crore projects in state,” said Mr Gadkari.
The minister also said that till 2014, the state’s National Highway covered around 5,700km. “But now capacity has been increased by four times. Almost 16,000km of work is already going on and it will go up to 20,000km. This has never happened in the history of Maharashtra,” he claimed.
Mr Gadkari reacted to Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar’s recent comments on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet train. Mr Pawar had raised questions about the choice of Mumbai over Ahmedabad and said he suspected that it could be a BJP game. Mr Gadkari refuted the charges, saying, “One shall not connect these issues with region. Mumbai will be connected to Delhi. So roads of train will go through Gujarat obviously. It will be good not to make such comments.”
On missing the deadline for the Mumbai-Goa Expressway, Mr Gadkari said issues regarding land acquisition were cleared now. Talking about issues affecting Mumbai, Mr Gadkari said that he wants to see Mithi river clean and also Mumbai’s sea free of pollutants. “I have a
dream to create a garden in 500 acres in BPT area. The land is with shipping ministry and we can give that. I have asked state government to work on it. This garden will be world class and there will not be commercial use,” said Mr Gadkari.