Maharashtra is witnessing a fresh round of war of words between the coalition State government and the Centre with the latter claiming ownership of the land identified for a Metro car shed in Kanjurmarg.
In a letter to the Chief Secretary, the Central government’s Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT)has said the decision to construct Metro car shed on DPIIT’s 102-acre land in Kanjurmarg has caused it severe loss. The letter asked the Chief Secretary to take steps to stop the ongoing construction.
While sources in the State government said the letter is not unexpected, they reiterated that all precautions were taken before finalising the site.
Quick to react, BJP MLA Ashish Shelar asked, “If the salt commissioner says that the land belongs to it, then how can the government announce construction of car shed on this land?”
The NCP and Congress slammed the BJP alleging it was using the central government to stop projects in Maharashtra. “The said land at Kanjurmarg belongs to the State government since 1981. In 2015, under BJP government, the then divisional commissioner had clearly said that the salt commissionerate could not produce evidence that the land belonged to them. The then Revenue Minister Chandrakant Patil sanctioned it,” Congress general secretary and spokesperson Sachin Sawant said.
Mr. Sawant said that for last three years, the Salt Department did not bother to challenge the decision in court. “Now that the state government started its Metro work, it has suddenly woken up to claim the land. This is not a coincidence. Maharashtra BJP leaders are forcing the Modi government to stop developmental projects in the state,” he added.
“Initially the BJP had said that the land belongs to private individuals. Now, the central government is saying that the land belongs to them. It clearly means that BJP is purposely creating mischief to halt the project,” said Nawab Malik, state’s Minority Affairs minister and senior NCP leader.
The MVA government last month announced its decision to shift the Metro car shed from the Aarey forest, as planned by the previous BJP-led government, to Kanjurmarg in a bid to save the forest. BJP had criticised the move claiming it would increase the cost by ₹5,000 crore and delay the Metro project.
The State Environment minister Aaditya Thackeray, who is one of the most vocal leaders to supporting the shifting of Metro car shed from Aarey forest to Kanjurmarg said, “The Kanjurmarg land allotted by the Collector to MMRDA for car depot of Metro has always been with the State government as per revenue records. The Collector, Mumbai Suburban has done due diligence of all land records and all sub-judice matters in all competent courts. The MMRDA will therefore carry on with its work for Metro joint car depots at Kanjurmarg as earlier decided.”