Pimpri Chinchwad: With
Shiv Sena Maval MP Shivajirao Adhalrao Patil criticising
BJP associate MLA Mahesh Landge for taking credit for the Centre's approval to widen Pune-Nashik Highway, a tug of war has broken out between the two parties.
Patil had slammed Landge while addressing a press conference on Thursday.
The tug of war assumes significance as Landge is an aspirant for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Shirur constituency, which is currently represented by Patil.
Landge had released a press release a week ago claiming that the Centre had granted approval for widening of highway due to his constant follow up on the subject. Patil had claimed that he had been following up with the project for the past 8 years while Landge became an MLA only three years back. He was a corporator prior to that.
"I have been following up on the project with the Centre as it is one of the most important projects in my current constituency (Shirur) as well as in my earlier constituency (Khed). The then Union minister CP Joshi had appointed an agency to conduct a survey during the rule of the UPA government in 2013 due to these efforts. I later followed up with Union minister Nitin Gadkari after the NDA government came to power in May 2014 due to which approval was granted in January 2016," Patil said.
Reacting to the criticism, Eknath Pawar, ruling party leader, PCMC, said, "Union minister Nitin Gadkari has approved the project and MLA Mahesh Landge is an associate MLA of BJP. So it is natural for BJP to take the credit for approval of the project. We will make efforts to ensure that Gadkari performs the bhoomipoojan of the project in Bhosari."
"The 29.93 km-long stretch of Pune-Nashik Highway from Nashik Phata to Chandoli in Khed Taluka will be turned into a six lane to solve traffic congestion. Flyovers will be built at Chakan, Moshi and Chimbli to reduce traffic congestion at these spots. Two big bridges will be constructed on Indrayani and Bhama rivers. The estimated cost is Rs 1,013 crore and the cost of land acquisition is around Rs 1,000 crore. Tenders have been invited for the project."
