The BJP termed the Maharashtra government's decision to shift Metro car shed from Aarey to Kanjurmarg as unfortunate and said it has been taken to satisfy ego. Former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said the decision will increase the cost of the project by at least Rs 4,000 crore as assessed by the committee appointed by the current government.
"Why such a huge burden just to satisfy someone’s ego? (For) Whom does (the) government want to suffer and for what?" asked Fadnavis in his detailed tweet criticising the decision.
The Kanjurmarg site was earlier considered by the government. But it was under litigation and a stay had been granted by the high court. Some private individuals claimed their rights. The stay was requested to be withdrawn. But the high court wanted the amount to be deposited if the claims got settled in future.
This amount was around Rs 2,400 crore in 2015. "What is the status of that case today? And if someone moves to Hon SC, who will be responsible for the delay?" asked Fadnavis.
Moreover, since the site of Kanjurmarg is a marshy land, it will require at least 2 years to stabilise it, he added.
He further claimed that in addition to this, all the previous tenders will have to be scraped and a new process will have to be followed. No DPR or feasibility report has been made for this site.
"This means that the Metro project, which would have been in the service of Mumbaikars just next year, has now been postponed indefinitely. Rs 400 crore was already spent for Aarey car shed, Rs 1,300 crore wasted due to staying of project and additional cost escalation of Rs 4,000 crore," Fadnavis elaborated.
BJP has claimed that the project is now delayed for an indefinite period. "What exactly does the state government want to achieve by blocking the seamless journey of Mumbaikars? MVA Govt misleading Mumbaikar," said the BJP leader.
