2019 Lok Sabha elections: Kalyan MP Shrikant Shinde talks about his performance
The work on the fifth and sixth suburban rail line was held up owing to permission issues, he says
You were among the top five MPs in utilisation of funds, but is it reflecting on ground?
As far as Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLAD) fund is concerned, I tried to use it to create infrastructure with long-term benefits. Libraries, play grounds, gardens, open gyms are some of the works I took up. I used a part of my MPLAD fund, along with the Ambernath municipal council’s funds, to create a shooting range of international standard in Ambernath. I also developed deluxe toilet at Ulhasnagar and plan to construct the same along all stations in my constituency if re-elected.
Residents have alleged that only minor work were undertaken…
Major projects are not completed overnight. Many projects were stuck for various reasons. The work on the fifth and sixth suburban rail line was held up owing to permission issues and also because the railways realized the plan for a new tunnel next to the old one at Mumbra could raise safety concerns. I obtained all permissions from the district collector. Now the work is on in full swing and by this year-end it will be in service. I completed work on Thakurli ROB, makeover of Diva and Thakurli stations, escalators and elevators on railway stations, emergency medical rooms at stations, parallel road between Kalyan and Dombivali, new wider FOBs at various stations in the past five years. Many more projects are in various stages of completion, while projects worth crores are being approved.
You had promised many reforms, connectivity for railways, but most railway and road projects are stuck.
Not a single project is stuck. Thakurli Terminus and Kalyan Yard remodeling have been approved. The chief minister has approved the Kalyan-Dombivali-Taloja Metro. The Kalyan-Thane-Mumbai waterway project has been approved and work on the first phase of Kalyan-Thane-Vasai is about to begin after elections.
There are some long pending issues that have not been solved yet. Especially the 27 villages who are planning to vote against the government
A budget of ₹180 crore for projects under AMRUT has been approved to upgrade the water distribution system in 27 villages. The work has started in some stretches and tendering process is in progress in other areas. We successfully tackled the issue of water scarcity in Malang Gad region by undertaking de-siltation work in village lakes and check dams, as a result of which, 1000 crore litres of additional water storage capacity was created within a year.
