Fadnavis apologises for the inconvenience caused due to development works in city

Despite being in power for 25 years, they could not remove the potholes permanently because their intentions were wrong. Their policy was to temporarily repair the roads through the same set of contractors again and again,” Fadnavis said slamming Thackeray-led Shiv Sena and saying that their government has decided to complete the concretisation of all the roads in the next two years

Mumbai: Deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday sought an apology from the people in Mumbai for the inconvenience they are facing owing to various development works going on in the city. He said that they have taken up lots of development work which is causing traffic jams, congestion and pollution. He further asked people not to worry as they will not have to face any of these issues for the next three or four decades once the works are completed in the next two-three years.

Mumbai, India - Feb. 26, 2023:Dy CM Devendra Fadnavis and CM Eknath Shinde addressing to media during the press conference, ahead of Budget Session at Sahyadri Guest House, in Mumbai, India, on Sunday, February 26, 2023. (Photo by Anshuman Poyrekar/ Hindustan Times) (Hindustan Times)

The statement was made at the inauguration of 320 development projects taken up by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The majority of them are beautification projects and cement concretisation of roads.

“We are sorry that the people are facing trouble because of traffic jams, congestion and pollution as a lot of development works have been taken up in the city recently,” Fadnavis said, adding, “Don’t worry you will not have to face them again for the next 30-40 years once the ongoing works are completed in the next two-three years.”

The deputy chief minister also expressed hope that the people will bear the inconvenience and forgive them as well.

With the help of Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, the Bharatiya Janata Party has declared to take over the BMC from Uddhav Thackeray-led party in the upcoming civic body polls likely to be held in the next few months. Both BJP and Shiv Sena were ruling BMC for almost three decades.

In his address, Fadnavis chose to target Thackeray for failing to make Mumbai a pothole-free city in the last 25 years.

“Despite being in power for 25 years, they could not remove the potholes permanently because their intentions were wrong. Their policy was to temporarily repair the roads through the same set of contractors again and again,” Fadnavis said slamming Thackeray-led Shiv Sena and saying that their government has decided to complete the concretisation of all the roads in the next two years.

The question is if (Eknath) Shinde can do this in two years then why it could not be done in 25 years, he said questioning Shiv Sena’s intention.

Chief minister Eknath Shinde also stressed that they want to make Mumbai a clean and beautiful city. “We want to change the picture of Mumbai which is infamous for flooding and potholes.”

People will not get to see a single pothole after two years even if they start looking for them, he claimed, adding, “We will have to keep awards for those who could find one pothole in the city.”