Mumbai Metro: Fadnavis, Congress leaders engage in war of words over ‘delay’

Congress leaders reminded him that the Delhi Metro lines were developed during Congress rule in the national capital and also blamed him for the delays in the Metro construction in Mumbai

Leader of opposition and former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and Congress leaders in Maharashtra are engaged in a verbal dual over Metro 3 in Mumbai which is stuck due to the Aarey car shed issue.

Maharashtra BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis. (PTI)

It began with Fadnavis tweeting about him travelling in Delhi by Metro.

“I travelled in Delhi Metro today to return back to the airport & reached in a very short span as compared to travel by road! Don’t know when will I be able to travel in Mumbai Metro 3 to the airport, looking at the things messed up by MVA on CarShed issues,” Fadnavis posted on his twitter handle on Wednesday. He also posted pictures of him sitting in a Metro coach.

His tweet taking a potshot at the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi government over the slow speed of Metro 3 construction irked Congress leaders in the state.

State Congress general secretary and spokesperson Sachin Sawant tweeted on Thursday, “glad u appreciate Delhi Metro developed by @INCDelhi govt. Only Metro completed in Mumbai was also by Aghadi govt. Ur govt cld not meet 2019 Deadline. MVA with vast experience in governance will surely do what ur govt cld not if Modi govt removes its own created hurdles...”

A war of words is on between Fadnavis and chief minister Uddhav Thackeray and the MVA government over transfer of the car shed from Aarey Colony to Kanjurmarg. Fadnavis has said that the decision will delay the line at least by three years and escalate the cost manifold, while Thackeray has been claiming that it is a necessary step to save the environment.