Move to turn Lower Parel into Smart City will only help builders: Mumbai Congress

Mumbai Congress on Wednesday said the move to turn the Lower Parel area of the mega-polis into a 'Smart City' will only benefit real estate developers and industrialists.

On Tuesday, Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai approved the Smart City Proposal (SCP) for the metropolis with four amendments suggested by the ruling Shiv Sena amid opposition by certain parties.

Mumbai Pradesh Congress Committee President Sanjay Nirupam told reporters, "The annual budget of Mumbai Municipal Corporation is Rs 35,000 crore. It spends Rs 2,000 crore for roads, Rs 150 crore for desilting and Rs 2,000 crore for health."

"What purpose is being served with only Rs 100 crore for a smart city and how is this being achieved. Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray opposes the proposal and extends conditional support overnight after talks with Chief Minister (Devendra Fadnavis)," he said.

"The move to turn the Lower Parel area of Mumbai into Smart City will only benefit real estate developers and industrialist," he said.

Nirupam said the constitution of Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV ) is not clear.

"Shiv Sena says 60 lakh jobs for sons of the soil should be given.. this is not practically possible. Shiv Sena and BJP should explain how they propose to do this," he asked.