Mumbai (Maharashtra): Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari has claimed that the ruling party Shiv Sena leaders were creating obstructions for several road projects undertaken by his Ministry in the state.
In a letter addressed to Thackery, Gadkari alleged that Shiv Sainiks are creating difficulties in the construction of National Highways in Maharashtra and also said that contractors and officials are being threatened. Gadkari added that if the harassment doesn't stop, then the Ministry will have difficulty in approving projects. "If the harassment of contractors and officials by local leaders goes unabated, the Union ministry will have to think if these projects should continue or not," he warned. "The Chief Minister should personally look into this," he also suggested.
Several projects of four-laning of national highways and bridges are underway in Akola, Nanded, Washim and Osmanabad districts, but public representatives from Thackeray-led Shiv Sena were obstructing these works, the senior BJP leader said.
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The four-laning of the 202-km National Highway between Akola and Nanded including the construction of a 12-km bypass from Gedshi to Washim has been stopped by local Shiv Sena leaders, Gadkari claimed. Work of Malegaon to Risod National Highway has been completed except for a bridge over the Painganga river as local leaders threatened the contractor and stopped the work, he said. The Pulgaon-Karanja-Malegaon-Mehkar-Sindkhedraja National Highway is in very bad shape and his ministry had started repair work at the cost of Rs 135 crore, Gadkari said.
"I was informed that the Shiv Sainiks had stopped the work in Washim district, particularly the road through Seloo Bazar village. When the contractor resumed work to repair the bad road, Shiv Sena workers set machinery on fire and terrorized officers, employees and workers. As a result, the work has to be stopped again," the letter alleged.
"Therefore, should the National Highway work in Washim district continue? We are seriously considering this, if this continues, our ministry will have to think about sanctioning works of National Highways in Maharashtra.
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"This will harm Maharashtra and its people," Gadkari said. Thackeray should intervene and find a solution, he said.
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