Another blow to Shinde, Bawankule slams CIDCO over NAINA planning

The remarks, made by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and now, senior BJP minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, are keeping the pressure on Shinde, who also heads the Shiv Sena in the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance government

MUMBAI: Just three days after deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde was pulled up for a “poor show” in implementing central-government schemes in Maharashtra, CIDCO, which falls under the state urban development department led by Shinde, has been accused of “flawed” planning and implementation of the Navi Mumbai Airport Influence Notified Area (NAINA) project.

Chandrashekhar Bawankule shows his ink-marked finger after casting his vote for the Maharashtra Assembly elections, at a polling station in Nagpur on Wednesday. (ANI Photo) (ANI PHOTO)

The remarks, made by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and now, senior BJP minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, are keeping the pressure on Shinde, who also heads the Shiv Sena in the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance government.

On Monday, Bawankule criticised the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), which falls under Shinde’s urban development department (UDD), for the “flawed planning and implementation” of the NAINA project. Bawankule, who is state revenue minister, was so furious that he said he would meet with Fadnavis and CIDCO officials to discuss the matter, sources said.

Bawankule, a close aide of Fadnavis, held a meeting on the NAINA project with CIDCO officials on Monday. He said CIDCO had taken a “negative approach” towards the project. “Improper planning is underway at the operational level in the NAINA project. A meeting will be held with CM Fadnavis next week on the issue,” he said at the meeting.

He directed CIDCO to remove gaothan areas (village settlement areas) from the development plan with immediate effect. “If any incorrect reports are submitted, NAINA officials will be held responsible.” He also instructed the inspector-general of registration to ensure registration of all authorised constructions.

Bawankule was annoyed after BJP MLC Vikrant Patil pointed out that CIDCO had acquired land for the NAINA project, but no development work was underway. “Due to the negative attitude of CIDCO, lakhs of citizens are suffering losses. Land is being blocked in the name of development without any actual progress,” Patil said at Monday’s meeting.

Also, Panvel district collector Kisan Jawale said the collectorate had granted 113 permissions since 2013 but, despite that, CIDCO has blocked plots, according to a statement issued by the office of the revenue minister. This is what prompted Bawankule to seek a meeting with Fadnavis next week.

The development comes only three days after the chief minister expressed displeasure at the performance of the state urban development department led by Shinde. During a review meeting on the implementation of schemes sponsored by the central government on Friday, Fadnavis had alleged that the UDD had put up a “poor show”. He then directed UDD officials to improve performance.

Shinde, who has been skipping government meetings and programmes for the last few days, was not present at the meeting.

Shiv Sena spokesperson Krishna Hegde denied any friction between the BJP and Sena. He said, “NAINA was to be developed within a given timeline, which has not taken place. The revenue minister must have been referring to this at the meeting. CIDCO is also an independent body and its functioning cannot be directly linked with the urban development department.”