Shiv Sena is playing politics over Metro-III, says Ashish Shelar

Two days after the Shiv Sena opposed a proposal for giving plots for Metro-III, BJP Mumbai president Ashish Shelar on Thursday tried to defend his party’s stand on the ambitious project. Terming Sena’s opposition as ‘politics’, Mr Shelar said that the government had promised proper rehabilitation of the project-affected people. Girgaon, possibly the most densely populated part of old Mumbai, is going to be affected by the project.

Speaking during a press conference with BJP leaders in the BMC, Mr Shelar pitched the proposal of Metro-3 plot allotment once again which all the other parties in the BMC turned down. “No one will be evicted for the project. In fact, they will be given houses double the size. Despite this, the Shiv Sena and the Congress are playing politics in the name of Marathi people. We should not be emotional when it comes to development,” Mr Shelar said. The proposal was tabled in the civic general body meeting on Tuesday that suggested handing over 7,796 square metres of land spread across 17 different locations in the city on a permanent basis for the Metro-III project. While the BMC had already turned down the proposal once, it was once again tabled in the house with the state urban development department asking the civic body to intimate on its decision within 15 days. However, there was a heated debate on the issue. The BJP was left isolated as all the other parties opposed the proposal, saying it would affect and displace about 450 families in Girgaon.

Claiming that the affected people will get bigger houses due to the BJP’s efforts, Mr Shelar asked why the Sena was raising the issue after the first tender was issued. “The locals will get houses measuring 400 sq ft to 600 sq ft. No one will be displaced from the original place. Why the Sena is raising the issue when the first tender has already been issued ” Mr Shelar asked.

The rejection of the proposal has come as a big blow to the BJP which has been keen on expediting the Metro project. However, there is a catch in this matter. Despite the BMC’s denial, the state government can still take over the spaces under the Section 520 (c) of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act, which empowers the government to acquire land if the project is in public interest. The Sena has, however, threatened to start a public agitation if the state government goes ahead with the project.