Rumours of another project going to Gujarat lead to uproar

Political controversy erupts over reports of the submarine tourism project in Nivati, Maharashtra being shifted to Gujarat's Dwarka. Opposition slams state government, but Chief Minister Eknath Shinde denies the project is moving.

MUMBAI: A political controversy has erupted over reports that the first submarine tourism project in the country, which was supposed to be at Nivati in Sindhudurg district, will now be in Gujarat’s Dwarka. While the opposition parties slammed the state government for allowing Gujarat to take away yet another Maharashtra project, chief minister Eknath Shinde claimed that the project would remain in the state.

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The controversy broke out on Sunday after Sindhudurg’s Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Vaibhav Naik said there were reports that the project was going to Gujarat. “The project was declared a few years ago,” he said. “During the MVA government’s tenure, a budgetary allocation was made for it. Marine expert Sarang Kulkarni was appointed as a consultant, and there were primary discussions about purchasing the submarine for around ₹200 crore. But ever since the Shinde-Fadnavis government took over, there has been no development on this front. Now we have discovered that the project is being shifted to Dwarka in Gujarat.”

MVA leaders slammed the Shinde-Fadnavis government for being silent spectators while Gujarat continued to take projects away. “Gujarat has taken away 17 projects of Maharashtra but CM Eknath Shinde and DCM Devendra Fadnavis are not uttering a word against it,” said Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut. “This is nothing but robbery. Gujarat is taking away projects that give employment to the youth and in return supplying drugs which destroy the youth.” Added NCP (Sharad Pawar) MLA Jitendra Awhad, “Take everything to Gujarat.”

Leader of the opposition Vijay Wadettiwar said that the so-called triple-engine government was nothing but an NOC-giver to the Gujarat government to take away Maharashtra’s projects. “How many more projects is this state government going to gift to Gujarat?” demanded the Congress leader. “One after another, projects have been taken there but the CM and two DCMs only go to Delhi to salute their political masters.”

Shinde, however, denied that the submarine tourism project was shifting to Gujarat. “It will remain here,” he said. “I have had a word about it with industry minister Uday Samant. Some people have nothing better to do than spread rumours. But we won’t pay any attention; we will continue to do our work.”