Daijiworld Media Network - Raigad
Raigad, Aug 9: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena president Raj Thackeray on Sunday visited Raigad to inspect the Mumbai-Goa Highway, which has remained incomplete for the past 17 years, and criticised political leaders over the prolonged delay in completing the project.
Thackeray alleged that political interference was responsible for the delay and said the issue was not merely related to contractors or land acquisition.
“I had called Union Minister Nitin Gadkari about this earlier. He had said that contractors had become frustrated and left. Nitin Gadkari is the Union minister in charge of roads. If he says contractors from Konkan have become frustrated and left, then who did they become frustrated with?” Thackeray asked.
He said land acquisition had been a major problem in the construction of the highway. According to him, the government was expected to acquire the required land before awarding contracts, but this had not happened properly.
“The system so far has been that if you want to build a road, the government has to acquire the land. This was the problem with all these roads. The government did not acquire the land. Contracts were awarded, percentages were given, and the road remains where it was. This has been going on for years,” he said.
Thackeray also questioned the quality of newly constructed stretches of the highway.
“I travelled on the newly constructed road. What is the condition of this road? If this is the condition of a newly built road, then what is the need for a bypass?” he asked.
Thackeray also criticised the manner in which development projects were being planned in the Konkan region, particularly the proposed 'Third Mumbai'.
He alleged that land transactions and political interests were being prioritised over the welfare of local residents.
“Development is being viewed only through the lens of percentages. The entire transaction is about how our land will be sold. The Third Mumbai is now being planned. It will have an education city, medical city, data centres, global institutions and an international university. But even children in Maharashtra do not know about this,” he said.
Thackeray questioned whether youngsters from Pen, Panvel and Raigad were being prepared to take advantage of the opportunities that the proposed development could create.
“The former landowners and local people will continue to live here, while this Third Mumbai will come up in front of them. Are we preparing the children of Pen, Panvel and Raigad for this Third Mumbai?” he asked.
He said development should not be opposed but questioned whether the current model of development was beneficial to the Konkan region.
“We do not oppose development, but when we look at the development taking place in Konkan, we feel that this is not the kind of development we want,” Thackeray said.
Thackeray further alleged that local politicians were aware of where future development would take place and were consequently involved in land purchases.
“If the children of Maharashtra are not progressing, what is the use of this land? The MLAs know where development will take place. So they will buy land there. Then the government will sell these lands to Adani and others. Politicians know this. It is important for local people to understand this,” he said.
Without naming specific individuals in detail, Thackeray referred to local political families and alleged that political influence was being used in land-related matters.
“Everywhere, it is Tatkare and his daughter, Thakur and his son. This is what is happening everywhere. Our children do not understand this,” he said.
Thackeray's visit comes amid continued concerns over the long-pending Mumbai-Goa Highway project and the impact of infrastructure and development projects on local communities in the Konkan region.