Former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray’s poll promise to scrap the ambitious project to redevelop Dharavi, the biggest slum in Asia, has sparked a strong response from Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Releasing his party’s manifesto for the Maharashtra election, Mr Thackeray had said yesterday that the Dharavi project will have ramifications on Mumbai and will be scrapped if he is elected to power. Mr Shinde, his former aide who sided with the BJP to topple the earlier Thackeray government, said the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) – an alliance of three parties including the Congress, NCP (Sharad Pawar), and Shiv Sena (UBT) – knows nothing apart from staying projects.
“Do they know anything except putting a stay on projects and discontinuing them? What else can we expect from MVA? 1-2 lakh people stay in poor conditions in Dharavi, while these leaders stay in big houses,” the Chief Minister told reporters.
The MVA is contesting the upcoming Maharashtra polls together to unseat the Mahayuti – an alliance of the BJP and the Shiv Sena faction led by Mr Shinde and the NCP faction led by Ajit Pawar.
Asserting that his government has housing for all, Mr Shinde accused the MVA of copying their schemes and challenged them to talk about the work they have done.
“I openly challenge the MVA to talk about the work they have done. They are only copying the schemes we have announced. They are liars and the public will not believe them. The public has decided that the Mahayuti will form the government with a thumping majority,” he said.
The Dharavi Redevelopment Project – which is set to give the largest slum in Asia spanning over 250 hectares – is a joint venture between the Maharashtra government and the Adani Group.
Eligible residents will be given 350-sq-ft flats in the area after the project is completed. Those not eligible will be rehoused elsewhere in the city. Schools, community halls, and hospitals will also be built as part of the redevelopment project.
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