Probe into BMC’s Covid spending will bring out truth: Shinde
The CM was speaking at Dr Kashinath Ghanekar auditorium in Thane as part of the foundation laying ceremony of several public amenities in Ovala-Majiwada Assembly constituency of Shiv Sena leader Pratap Sarnaik
THANE: Chief minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday said the probe ordered into ₹4,000-crore expenditure on Covid pandemic-related expenditure by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will bring out the truth in the public domain.
“What has been happening for the past one year? We have not been talking about it, but allegations are being hurled at us daily. And now that we have ordered a probe, they have planned a morcha. You were in power all these years and you are taking morcha against whom?” a smiling Shinde asked without naming the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction.
The CM was speaking at Dr Kashinath Ghanekar auditorium in Thane as part of the foundation laying ceremony of several public amenities in Ovala-Majiwada Assembly constituency of Shiv Sena leader Pratap Sarnaik.
Referring to allegations made by Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray against road concretisation contracts, Shinde said, “The road concretisation programme will make Mumbai pothole-free in the next two to three years. It takes courage to do it and we have shown it. We spent the necessary money. So, they said BMC fixed deposit is being broken for this expenditure. But, the FD is ultimately public money. In any case, when we came to power, the BMC FD had ₹77,000 crore, and now it has increased to ₹88,000 crore.”
Shinde said the demand for audit and seeking expenditure details is a good thing. “Doodh ka doodh, paani ka paani hona chahiye. Who sold body bags worth ₹600 for ₹6,000? Facts about that should come out. The truth will come out.”
“I asked BMC commissioner IS Chahal if those in power had taken this (concretisation) decision 15-20 years ago, what would have happened, and he replied that nearly ₹3,500 crore would have been saved. It would have saved Mumbai’s citizens from commuting on potholed roads and saved precious lives. Whose sin is this?” the CM asked.
Shinde said before visiting Thane, he went to Coastal Road and Milan Subway where waterlogging was reported on Saturday. “Waterlogging at the subway happened because more than 70mm rainfall happened within one hour. When I went there, traffic was flowing smoothly. I had clearly told officials that if you do good work, we will honour you with a shawl and coconut, but if there is waterlogging and negligence, they will have to face action.”
During his visit, the CM inaugurated a gymnastics centre named after Sarnaik’s father and constructed by Tata Realty on a civic amenity plot in Vasant Vihar. Spread over a 3,500 square metre plot, the centre has been developed for national-level gymnastics competitions and has amenities like a sports gallery, a gymnasium and a rest house. He also inaugurated an auditorium named after Mahatma Phule and Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar built at a cost of ₹4 crore next to Bethany Hospital.
He also laid the foundation stone for Sindhutai Sapkal Archery Training Centre on Pokharan Road II to be built at a cost of ₹6.5 crore, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Vipassana Centre in Kasarvadavali to be built at a cost of ₹14 crore, a women’s hostel for Tribal Development department on Thane Municipal Corporation’s amenity plot in Bhayanderpada, and Anand Dighe gymkhana for multiple sports. He also laid the foundation stone for Balasaheb Thackeray cultural centre, memorial garden and digital aquarium in Kavesar to be built at a cost of ₹50 crore. It will include an interactive gravity zone with virtual reality, which will give astronomy information to children, a section for senior citizens to check their primary health parameters, a theatre, a hologram theatre, a section for Mumbai Before Balasaheb, giving a glimpse of old Mumbai, a digital exhibition on Marmik magazine founded by Thackeray.
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