Nagpur Congress duo comes out in support of CM’s pet project

NAGPUR: In a surprise move, two former ministers and senior Congress leaders of the city, Satish Chaturvedi and Nitin Raut, have come out openly in support of the proposed Nagpur-Mumbai super-communication highway.

"Those opposing the project are doing it for petty political reasons. They are ones who have always worked against the interests of the backward Vidarbha and Marathwada regions," said the duo.

Popularly known as Samruddhi corridor, the Rs 46,000-cr highway that is expected to bring prosperity to the state's hinterlands is the pet project of chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.

However, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar along with state Congress leaders such as Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil are raising voice against the project stating that it was not in the interests of farmers whose land is being acquired. Shiv Sena, for obvious reasons of keeping its ruling partner BJP on tenterhooks, is also against the project. But Eknath Shinde of the party is the minister executing the project.

"Strangely, leaders from western Maharashtra are opposing the highway that could become a new lifeline for distressed farmers of suicide-hit Vidarbha. The 710-km highway will be cutting short the distance between Nagpur and Mumbai by 7 hours from the current 14 hours. It would boost agro-processing industry with faster access to Mumbai ports," said Chaturvedi.

"It's the same set of people who blocked the ambitious Mihan project for years and then came out with alternative schemes near Pune-Mumbai. They also did not allow full potential of Butibori 5-star industrial area to be tapped," said Raut.

"For decades, Vidarbha has been deprived of industrialist investment. Now, a new chance has come up. Leaders should rise above party politics and regionalism and support this project," said Raut.

"Fast highways are the only path for economic development. Nashik attracted industrial investment only after better connectivity with Mumbai. Surprisingly, these leaders opposing Samruddhi corridor never raised their voice when Mumbai-Pune expressway was built. Where was there love for farmers then?" asked Chaturvedi.

He said even the Kolhapur highway or the one being built connecting Tuljapur never met with political resistance in the name of farmers. But when it comes to Vidarbha, some vested interests come into play creating unnecessary hurdles.

"Congress has not officially taken a stand against it. Party leaders opposing the new highway are doing it for personal reasons," said Chaturvedi. He appealed to all party leaders from Vidarbhha to support the corridor if they want the region's prosperity.