CM launches 6 projects in son’s LS constituency
A ring road connecting the Navi Mumbai airport to various cities has been proposed to ensure faster travel, according to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. The Maharashtra Metropolitan Region Development Authority will prepare a detailed project report. Shinde also inaugurated several projects, including a public park, parking facility, and a super specialty hospital.
A ring road connecting the upcoming Navi Mumbai international airport to Kalamboli, Taloja, Dombivli, Kalyan, Bhiwandi and Thane has been proposed to ensure a faster travel, chief minister Eknath Shinde said on Monday and added MMRDA will be asked to prepare a detailed project report.
As part of his tour across Kalyan, Dombivli and Ulhasnagar, Shinde inaugurated a slew of projects, including a 25-acre public park on the Waldhuni riverfront, a six-storey parking in Kalyan, and a 190-bed super specialty hospital in Ulhasnagar.
Interestingly, six of the total projects launched are in Kalyan Lok Sabha constituency, represented by the CM’s son, Shrikant Shinde. Shinde’s visit comes 10 days after the shocking incident at Ulhasnagar police station where BJP MLA Ganpat Gaikwad fired at former corporator and Shrikant’s close aide, Mahesh Gaikwad. Later, Ganpat Gaikwad, in a telephonic interview to a Marathi news channel, made several allegations against Shinde.
About the super specialty hospital, built by the Ulhasnagar municipal corporation, the CM said, “Super specialty hospital is the need of the hour, and this will be the second such facility after the one in Thane and this will provide cashless services too. Soon, we are going to inaugurate one in Mira Bhayander.”
Asian Development Bank had provided ₹4,000 crore in financial assistance to strengthen the healthcare services in the state, he said.
The park in Kalyan West has been constructed by Smart Kalyan Dombivli Development Corporation (SKDCL) at a cost of ₹69.66 crore under the Central government’s Smart City scheme. This is larger than the 20-acre Grant Central Park thrown open to the public by Shinde in Thane’s Kolshet last Friday and is believed to be the largest public park in Maharashtra.
The CM also inaugurated a multi-level parking, spread over 85,000 square feet, with a basement, a ground floor, and six floors. Built by SKDCL, the parking has two lifts, and the fourth floor is directly connected to a flyover.
“The parking has a capacity to accommodate 1,210 two-wheelers and 34 four-wheelers as per unified DCPR rules. The approved cost for the project is ₹506.19 crore,” Prahlad Rode, chief executive officer of SKDCL, said.
Later at Acharya Atre Rang Mandir auditorium in Kalyan, the chief minister handed keys to tenements, built under the Basic Services to Urban Poor scheme, to project-affected people, digitally flagged off nine electric buses, and opened a new fire brigade office at Aadharwadi in Kalyan. He also digitally performed bhumipujan for a water purification centre at Gauripada.
Earlier in the day, Shinde held a meeting at Sahyadri guest house where he heard grievances of villagers who are affected by Vadhavan Port. Villagers complained that during the environmental hearing, authorities did not provide explanations and clarifications on their objections. They also said the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority has no representative from the fishing community.
While asking the administration to do the needful, Shinde said the port project will be a game changer for the development of the area and the state. “Please do not oppose the project for the sake of opposition. The state government will look after the interests of villagers.”