Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray orders review of bullet train, other development projects

Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday ordered a review of all on-going development projects in the state, including the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train,

Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday ordered a review of all on-going development projects in the state, including the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train, which is prime minister Narendra Modi’s pet project.

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The announcement came a day after the Thackeray-led Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government — forged by the Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress more than a month after the election results were out— won the trust vote in the state Assembly with the support of 169 legislators in the 288-member House.

Thackeray ordered the review to decide on certain projects that are underway, but may not be required now, and on some projects on the back-burner that need to be expedited. The CM said his government will write a white paper on the financial condition of the state government, which has a debt of nearly ₹5 lakh crore. He added that his government is firm on giving unconditional loan waivers to farmers. Thackeray also ordered the withdrawal of cases filed against many environmentalists for their agitation against the hacking of trees for a Metro car depot in Aarey Colony. Earlier on Friday, an order to stop work on the Aarey Metro car shed project was passed by Thackeray.

Thackeray said the “power dynamics” in the state have changed and therefore there was a need to review the decisions taken by the previous government. He, however, added that the priorities of the BJP-led government were not “misplaced” and added that there would be no vendetta politics.

The bullet train project has faced stiff opposition from farmers and tribal whose land were to be acquired. Thackeray’s party, Sena, too, opposed the project on several occasions, stating that if the locals are against giving up their land, the project should be scrapped. When asked about Thackeray’s announcement of a review of the bullet train project, Achal Khare, managing director of National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited(NHSRCL), said he is not aware of the latest developments and will not be able to comment on it. “It is his prerogative to initiate a review. Let them review it, but we hope their review is to see how the projects can be expedited rather than stopped, like it was done in the case of the Metro-3 car depot. There was no tree left to be cut at the site, but now if they relocate the depot, they will have to cut 15-20 trees at least,” said Ram Kadam, BJP legislator and spokesperson.

“The power dynamics in the state have changed. In the past five years, we were in the government and have taken up issues of the people. The review that I have called is to know what all development projects are going on in the state. What is the estimated cost, what is the status of the work, if it is stuck, what are the reasons, among others. I want to prioritise these projects. There could be some development project, which is not immediately required. There is also maybe some development project, which is immediately required, but has been ignored. Therefore, I have ordered a review and sought a report on the same,” Thackeray said.

“In this [review] all [projects] will be covered. I will tell you one thing though. Nowhere will this government act in a vindictive manner... This government is of the common man. Like you asked now, yes, we will review the bullet train [project]. Have I stayed the bullet train project like Aarey car shed? No, I haven’t,” he added.

Meanwhile, senior NCP leader and minister in Thackeray’s cabinet Chhagan Bhujbal said that the CM has ordered a review on the state’s financial status. “We will take a review and we will bring out a white paper,” said Bhujbal.

When asked if the overall review was being done because the priorities of the previous government were misplaced, the CM said, “I have not said that. Our government has begun on a fresh note. If what was going was acceptable then what was the need for a new government.”

He added that the work on a car shed in Aarey Colony is shut and reports that the construction is still -ongoing are false. “The work on Aarey car depot is not going on. I have not stayed work on any Metro project, except the car shed. The issue is about the wellbeing of the people of Mumbai.

Destroying the environment and then installing air purifiers everywhere is useless. It is not just hacking of trees, but destruction of an ecosystem there.” In an apparent swipe at actor Amitabh Bachchan, Thackeray said, “We don’t want a Metro for people to reach hospital quickly.” Bachchan, on September 17, 2019,tweeted that a friend travelled by the Mumbai Metro instead of a car as there was a medical emergency. Earlier in the day, Jitendra Ahwad (NCP), had demanded that the cases against those who protested against cutting of trees for the car shed in Aarey Colony should be withdrawn.

The CM said that farmers have suffered huge losses due to the unseasonal rain and that the opposition parties should not play “games” around it. Meanwhile, leader of the Oppositon Devendra Fadnavis sought ₹25,000/hectare compensation for farmers. He said that when the government was yet to be formed, he had toured various regions and demanded a compensation of ₹25,000/hectare. Responding to Fadnavis’s demand, Thackeray said, “The opposition should not play games. We expect Fadnavis to meet the Centre and help Maharashtra get aid. I too shall meet the prime minister about it,” he said. He, however, did not say when he would meet Modi.

A tumultuous month since the election results were declared on October 24 saw Thackeray sworn in as CM on Thursday. In between, BJP made an unsuccessful attempt to split NCP and got Devendra Fadnavis sworn in as CM with senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar as his deputy. However, both had to quit within three days, after the Supreme Court ordered a floor test, and the Sena, NCP and Congress showed that they had the support of 162 MLAs.