Synopsis
Aaditya Thackeray has urged Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to investigate the alleged scams linked to the road concretisation work in Mumbai. He expressed concerns over the misuse of public funds and called for accountability from involved contractors and officials.Key Takeaways
- Aaditya Thackeray demands an inquiry into road concretisation irregularities.
- Concerns raised over the impact on Mumbaikars and their resources.
- Assembly Speaker calls for a meeting to address allegations.
- BJP legislators criticize the quality of road works.
- Maharashtra Minister promises an investigation into ongoing projects.
Mumbai, March 23 (NationPress) Former Maharashtra Minister and Shiv Sena-UBT leader Aaditya Thackeray has once again urged Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to initiate an immediate investigation into the alleged irregularities associated with the road concretisation project conducted by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation through the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Mumbai Police, targeting the involved contractors, civic officials, and associated personnel.
In a post shared on X, Aaditya Thackeray stated, "Over the past two years, the road concretisation works have been ongoing in Mumbai, leading to road closures and a significant amount of dust. What is even more alarming is that this major scam is occurring under the guise of concrete construction, draining the resources of Mumbaikars. I have persistently voiced my concerns regarding this issue. Today, I have once again addressed a letter to the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, demanding a swift investigation into this scam and expressing hope for stringent action against those who are found culpable. We will not allow the hard-earned money of Mumbaikars to be wasted in this manner, and we will not permit the ongoing devastation of Mumbai!"
The call for an inquiry from the Shiv Sena-UBT leader follows a day after members of both the ruling BJP and opposition parties in the Assembly challenged Deputy Chief Minister and State Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde about the issues surrounding the concretisation of roads in Mumbai.
They criticized the state government for the alleged discrepancies in the road concretisation project.
Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar has scheduled a meeting of Mumbai legislators to discuss the allegations concerning the irregularities in road concretisation tenders issued by the previous government headed by former Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
Eknath Shinde previously managed the Urban Development department in the former MahaYuti government.
"A meeting will be convened with the Urban Development Minister in my office on Monday at 3 p.m. An investigation on similar matters was previously conducted by the EOW. Given the current serious information, should the EOW conduct another inquiry? They should deliberate on this and attend the meeting," Speaker Narwekar remarked.
Narwekar instructed the state government to prepare for a meeting in his chamber on Monday afternoon, ensuring the presence of Deputy CM Eknath Shinde and all party legislators.
The Speaker also requested that the state government come prepared with answers regarding whether an EOW investigation should be initiated concerning these tenders.
BJP legislator Atul Bhatkhalkar raised concerns about incomplete and substandard works in the road concretisation process, highlighting that only fines were imposed and officials received mere notices.
Another BJP legislator, Ameet Satam, argued that roads less than 15 meters in width should be completed using mastic asphalt.
He pointed out that despite an expenditure of Rs 21,000 crore on Mumbai roads from 1997 to 2022, it has resulted in wasteful spending.
"As a resolution, the former Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and the current Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis introduced the concept of cement concrete roads, which is a commendable initiative. However, due to ongoing road excavations, many senior citizens are confined to their homes and unable to enjoy walks. The entire city has been dug up, and the cement concrete road work, which commenced in October 2023, is still ongoing after a year and a half," Satam added, noting that roads wider than 15 meters can use cement concrete, while roads narrower than this are more suitable for mastic asphalt.
Speaker Narwekar interjected, stating that a tender was floated in his constituency two years ago, but the contractor failed to complete the work, leading to a re-tender six months ago, with work still yet to commence.
Congress legislator Amit Deshmukh inquired about the names of road contractors awarded projects worth Rs 6,632 crore, while Shiv Sena-UBT legislator Aaditya Thackeray questioned whether contractors received advance mobility charges.
Maharashtra Minister and Shiv Sena leader, Uday Samant, assured that the matters raised by the legislators would be thoroughly investigated, stating that 191 roads are currently under construction in the initial phase.
