Work on Taloja-Kalyan metro to start by 2018, Maharashtra CM tells Shiv Sena leaders

Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray led a delegation of corporators from Kalyan-Dombivli to the chief minister’s house

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday assured Shiv Sena leaders from Kalyan Dombivli in the presence of Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray that the state government will take up the Taloja-Diva-Dombivli-Kalyan Metro on priority in the first phase.

Thackeray met Fadnavis at his official residence, Varsha, on Tuesday evening. (HT)

The chief minister assured that work on the project will start by 2018-19 rather than in 2031 as originally planned, Sena Member of Parliament Shrikant Shinde said.

A day after the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) massive triumph in the Mira Bhayandar municipal election that strengthened its hold over the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray took complaints of Sena corporators from Kalyan-Dombivli to the doorstep of the chief minister.

Thackeray met Fadnavis at his official residence, Varsha, on Tuesday evening with a delegation of corporators from the Kalyan Dombivli municipal corporation alleging lack of attention by the state government to development works in the region.

Shiv Sena Minister Eknath Shinde, guardian minister for the Thane district, and local Sena Member of Parliament Shrikant Shinde were also present.

He added, the Sena chief presented these problems to the chief minister who has agreed to look into the issues at the earliest.

The Shiv Sena is the single largest party in the Kalyan Dombivli municipal corporation with 52 seats, followed by the BJP with its 42 corporators.

The parties formed a post-poll alliance to rule the municipal corporation.

The Shiv Sena has on several occasions complained of its ministers and legislators not being heard in the BJP-led government , of which it is a part, and being unable to get their work done.