Mumbai, Jan 19 (IANS) Virtually kicking off the Bharatiya Janata Party’s poll campaign for the BMC elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said for the speedy progress of Mumbai, it was imperative to have a government that is on the same wavelength at the Centre, state and the city.
“For a city like Mumbai, fast development is not possible without the Central and state and local government seeing eye-to-eye. There is no shortage of funds, but only it must be utilised for the right purposes. It should not remain locked up in bank or pocketed,” he said.
Virtually appealing for a vote to the BJP in the upcoming BMC polls, Modi said that it was necessary to have a government at all levels which work in tandem, and the present “double-engine” regime was doing “a marvelous job”.
Addressing a rally at Bandra Kurla Complex, Modi patted Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, and said that Mumbaikars suffered for a brief period (during the Maha Vikas Aghadi rule) when the “double engine” government was not in office and development projects languished.
“But now they are back and the city is progressing briskly. Major projects like the Mumbai Metro rail networks, the Coastal Road Project, the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link, the Navi Mumbai International Airport, the Dharavi redevelopment and chawls revamp project, are coming up at a fast pace, and many more will be taken up,” he said.
The PM said that the Shinde-Fadnavis government has speeded up all projects and their benefits, which were once available only to the elite, shall now be at the disposal of the ordinary folks.
He said that now even railway stations are being designed like airports, the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus will be redesigned with separate amenities for the convenience of long-distance passengers and suburban commuters.
“Railway stations are being made into multi-modal connectivity hubs with all facilities like the metros, buses, taxis, autos, available under one roof and this is being replicated all over India on a ‘mission mode’,” said Modi.
The government is also stressing on electric mobility, electric power, hybrid and hydrogen fuels to curb atmospheric pollution, tackle urban waste with modern technology with the philosophy of ‘waste to wealth’, and sewage treatment plans to keep our water bodies free of all pollutants, he added.
Modi said the government is investing hugely for development projects in all cities and in the next 25 years, Maharashtra will play a lead role and contribute to India’s progress, for which Mumbai is also being prepared in a big way.
The PM came to Mumbai this evening for a few hours to inaugurate, dedicate, lay foundation stone for various projects, launch welfare schemes and take a ride on the new Mumbai Metro Line 2A and Line 7 from Gundavali station to the airport station.
Present were Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, Shinde, Fadnavis, several union ministers of Maharashtra, state ministers, MPs, MLAs and other dignitaries.
–IANS
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