Halting Metro car shed work illegal, illogical: BJP leader Kirit Somaiya
Somaiya has also questioned the government over the additional cost brought on by the delay, which stands at roughly Rs 4 crore per day according to Metro officials
BJP leader Kirit Somaiya on Thursday termed Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s decision to halt the construction of the Metro car shed at Aarey as ‘illegal and illogical’.
The newly formed MVA government, under the leadership of Uddhav Thackeray, suspended construction of the car shed for Metro-3 (Colaba-Bandra-Seepz) at Aarey Colony last week.
The project, which involved the felling of over 2,000 trees, has been one of the most controversial ones in recent times.
Prior to the assembly elections, the Shiv Sena had said it would stop its construction if it came to power. Ironically, it was the Sena-controlled BMC whose tree authority gave permission for the tree felling at Aarey.
A day after taking charge, and in keeping with the pre-poll promise, Thackeray announced the stay and said not a single tree leaf will be cut till further orders.
BJP’s Kirit Somaiya has slammed to move and termed it ‘illegal’ and ‘illogical’.
“The suspension order of Metro car shed is an illegal and illogical act of the new government of the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi,” he said, adding that there is no need to cut a single leaf to complete the remaining work.
The former Lok Sabha MP further claimed that the decision has put the entire Metro project in jeopardy.
“If there is no alternative site for the car shed, it means the entire Metro project is in a jeopardy. I think the state government has not studied the project entirely,” he added.
The BJP leader also questioned as to who will be held responsible for any cost escalation brought on by the delay.
“It is a Rs 23,000-crore project and a delay would escalate its cost. Who should be held responsible for such a situation?’ he asked.
According to Metro officials, the agency will incur a per day loss of nearly Rs 4 crore due to the stoppage of work.
Incidentally, the Metro car shed at Aarey isn’t the only infrastructure project under the scanner. In a related development, the state also put brakes on several projects under the Urban Development Department.
