The decision to shift Aarey car shed has been taken just to "satisfy the ego" and this move will put an additional burden of Rs 4,000 crore on the Maharashtra government, said former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday.
"Unfortunate decision to shift metro car shed from Aarey to Kanjurmarg and that too just to satisfy the ego. This decision will increase the cost of the project by at least Rs 4,000 crore and this cost escalation is assessed by the committee appointed by this Government," Fadnavis tweeted.
These remarks come after Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray announced that the State government has withdrawn cases registered against people who were protesting against the proposed metro car shed in Aarey.
He said the proposed car shed has been shifted from Aarey to Kanjur Marg.
"We have withdrawn cases registered against people who were protesting against the proposed metro car shed in Aarey. The proposed car shed has been shifted from Aarey to Kanjur Marg," Thackeray said in a virtual address on Sunday.
Responding to Chief Minister Thackeray's announcement, Fadnavis said, "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 the project and additional cost escalation of Rs 4,000 crore."
"Rs 2,400 crore cost burden if in case the Kanjurmarg land dispute remains as it was. What will be today's cost? Metro project delayed for an indefinite period," Fadnavis said in a subsequent tweet.
The former chief minister asked what exactly does the state government want to achieve by blocking the seamless journey of Mumbaikars?
Earlier, the Maharashtra government had stayed the order for the Aarey metro car shed project following massive public agitation in the city.
( With inputs from ANI )
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