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NCP, Cong, Sena oppose Metro work at Deccan
Even after Ajit Pawar asked Maha-Metro to restart the work of installing viaduct at Sambhaji bridge at Deccan under police cover, NCP, Cong and Sena want it to be stalled
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PUNE: Even after deputy chief minister and Pune guardian minister Ajit Pawar asked the Maha-Metro (Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited) to restart the work of installing viaduct at Sambhaji bridge at Deccan under police cover, the three Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) partners now want it to be stalled.
The Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Shiv Sena on Tuesday created ruckus at the general body meeting of Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) demanding not to restart the work near Sambhaji bridge, popularly known as Lakdi pul.
The three political parties said that since some Ganesh mandals have expressed opposition, work should not be started. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) termed opposition from three parties as political ahead of the civic polls.
In a letter to Pune police, Maha-Metro has sought police protection to restart the work with plan to begin it on Tuesday night. However, with the NCP, Congress and Sena opposing the move, Maha-Metro may not restart it immediately.
During the general body meeting, Congress members were opposing the plan to restart the work citing that the Metro bridge on Lakdi Pul will create hurdle for Ganesh immersion procession. Soon, NCP and Sena members too joined the ruckus and stalled the meeting.
As the opposition continued the agitation, ruling BJP adjourned the general body meeting.
Pune mayor Murlidhar Mohol said, “After concerns raised by Ganesh mandals and opposition parties, I had ordered stay on the work. The metro studied various proposals and technical aspects and rejected the original proposal to increase the height of the viaduct. We held three meetings to consider demand of Ganesh mandals but as work was getting delayed and Maha-Metro’s technical committee suggested any other option will increase the cost and delay project, I asked Maha-Metro to restart the work.”
According to the mayor, earlier on December 13, Ajit Pawar held meeting with Maha-Metro and asked the officials to restart work in police presence.
Meanwhile opposition parties also approached Pawar, who heard both Metro officials and Ganesh mandals. Pawar asked PMC to discuss with mandal workers and after discussion restart the work.
Mayor said, “We have also been associated with Ganesh mandals. But while carrying out development work, we need to take some decisions. Considering this, I had instructed the Maha-Metro to restart the work.”
As PMC already discussed with mandals, civic officials too instructed Maha-Metro to take police protection and resume work.
Maha-Metro officials later met the police and shared action plan to carry the work. It was decided that the Metro work would resume on December 21 at night, but the opposition parties raised the issue again.
