The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena have starting drawing the battle lines for the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls due in February 2016. Friends have turned to foes with the Metro III project being the bone of contention.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena have starting drawing the battle lines for the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls due in February 2016. Friends have turned to foes with the Metro III project being the bone of contention.
BJP city unit president Ashish Shelar has alleged that Sena has joined hands with the Congress in BMC to oppose the Metro III project and safeguard the builders' interests. Shelar, along with BJP group leader in BMC Manoj Kotak and BJP spokesperson Bhalchandra Shirsat, was addressing the media regarding BJP's stance on Metro III.
He said even though Sena was citing the interest of the residents of Girgaum and Kalbadevi areas, those whose houses would be falling in the Metro3 line would be rehabilitated with houses with double area at the same place in new buildings.
Shelar pointed out that Sena and Congress have opposed giving 17 land pieces for the proposed Metro III project. He said the BMC owned these land pieces that the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) was seeking on a 30-year lease. The Corporation has even agreed to BMC's 47 conditions in this regard. Shelar further said the city improvement committee had given a nod to the proposal but Sena and Congress took a U-turn and rejected the proposal in BMC's general body meeting for "obvious reasons".
Shelar said the proposed project was harming the interest of residents of 34 buildings, but as per the report given by project consultants, only 18 buildings were being affected. He said those who had houses measuring less than 202 sqft will get 405 sqft houses, while those who have houses measuring 202-300 sqft will get houses 405-600 sqft houses.
Similarly, those with 300-444 sqft houses will get 600 sqft houses. Those with houses measuring more than 444 sqft will get houses with 35% more area.
Shelar informed that it was because of BJP and the chief minister that the number of affected persons was brought down, and BJP leaders have met with the BMC commissioner, seeking changes in the development control rules (DCR), so that the area of the houses could be increased.
Shelar alleged that while the then Congress government gave its nod to the Reliance-owned Metro project that will displace 2,765 families, even Sena did not oppose it.
Ashish Shelar has challenged the Sena to answer the following questions regarding Metro:
1. Metro III will connect all religious spots – from Mumba Devi to Siddhivinayak to those in Andheri. Then why are Sena and Congress opposing it?
2. When all hospitals and educational institutions will be linked by Metro III, why are Sena and Congress opposing it?
3. When the load on traffic is being reduced by 35%, 1.4 million commuters are being benefited, carbon monoxide emission is being reduced by 7,000 tonnes daily, carbon dioxide emission is being reduced by 4,500 tonnes daily and 2.5 lakh litre fuel worth Rs 15 crore is being saved every day, why is the Sena opposing it?
4: Metro3 is providing employment during construction and maintenance for 12 thousand youngsters then why was Sena opposing it?
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