One week after engaging in a verbal war over claiming credit of proposed developmental projects in Maharashtra, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress called a truce on Tuesday.
"The State government has proposed the infrastructure projects worth Rs. 1 lakh crore for Mumbai and surrounding areas. We expect the central government's absolute support, both financially and on policy level, to take them forward," said Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan in Mumbai in a program organised to lay the foundation stone of third phase of Mumbai metro.
Union Minister for Urban Development and senior BJP leader, M. Venkaiah Naidu who was present at the program assured Mr. Chavan that the Centre will extend all possible help to the State in clearing and helping the projects. "It is the people's money that we are going to spend. Unless we (center and state) work together, the money won't be properly utilised for public good," he said.
Mr. Chavan had decided to boycott Prime Minister Narendra Modi's program in Nagpur last week, after the crowd jeered during his speech in an earlier program in Solapur.
The BJP had criticised the Congress over his actions and claimed that the people are protesting as a result of Congress' mismanagement in the state. The Congress too had accused the BJP of politicising the Government's programs with an eye on the upcoming State assembly elections.
Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar who was also present at the Tuesday's program said that respecting every human irrespective of his political affiliations is the real Indian culture.
Earlier, the foundation stone of the proposed metro corridor was laid by Mr. Chavan. Metro-3 will be constructed by the newly constituted Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRCL).
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has played a major role in the planning and designing of this 32.5 km metro corridor – the first underground metro in Mumbai. The line will comprise of 27 underground stations.
“Public transport in Mumbai has seen a rapid change after the inauguration of the first metro (Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar) and the first monorail (Wadala to Chembur). The Mumbaikars have realized the importance of a better mode of commute and will definitely be excited about the next phases of metro rail,” said Mr. Dilip Kawathkar, Joint Project Director (PR), MMRDA.
The metro-3 corridor is expected to be completed in the next seven years and is financed by Government of Maharashtra, Government of India along with the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The cost of this project is Rs. 23,136 crore.
