Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday virtually launched the ruling BJP’s campaign for the crucial February 2017 Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls, by unveiling infrastructure projects worth Rs1,06,000 crore for Mumbai and its suburbs.
Addressing a public rally at the BKC grounds after performing Jal Pujan and Bhoomi Puja for the ambitious Rs3,600 crore mid-sea Chhatrapati Shivaji memorial, the Prime Minister said, “From this stage, we have today kick-started projects worth Rs1,06,000 crore for Mumbai. It might have never happened in the history of Mumbai that development projects worth Rs1,06,000 crore being inaugurated on a particular day and that too from a single platform as it happened today”.
The projects that Modi laid the foundation stone for various development projects included two metro lines, the Mumbai Trans-Harbour link, the Mumbai Urban Transport Project Phase-III, and two elevated roads.
Given that the both the ruling BJP is bound to cash in on the launch of the Chhatrapati Shivaji memorial in the forthcoming BMC polls, Modi spoke at length on the delivery of good governance delivered by the great Maratha warrior in the difficult times that the latter lived.
“After performing Bhoomi Puja and Jal Pujan for the Chhatrapati Shivaji memorial, you can image the happiness I am experiencing… Through his good governance,
Shivaji Maharaj had written a new chapter in the history of India. Shivaji Maharaj remained a torchbearer of good governance. Shivaji Maharaj was a multifaceted personality, and so many aspects of his personality inspire us,” the Prime Minister said. “His courage was known, but there are so many more aspects of Shivaji Maharaj we must know about, such as his policies on water and finance… I am happy that I got an opportunity to launch the Shivaji memorial project,”the Prime Minister said.
Though Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray had been invited to the function, it was the ruling BJP that was show-casing the BJP-led Government’s achievements in the State. So much so that when Uddhav addressed the gathering, his speech was drowned many times by shouts of “Modi, Modi, Modi” by BJP supporters who had turned out in large numbers to the rally.
Ahead of the Shivaji memorial bhoomi puja, the BJP had snatched the initiative by organising a “rath yatra”of urns containing water from different rivers of Maharashtra in Mumbai. The water brought from different rivers were poured into the Arbian Sea by the Prime Minister and other dignitaries as part of the “Jal Puja” performed to kick-start the mid-sea Shivaji memorial project.
To be developed in the Arabian sea one kilometer off the Marine Drive in south Mumbai, the imposing 309 ft statue is billed to be taller than the State of liberty set up in the New York harbour. It will be a major tourist attraction in the country’s commercial capital.
The Chhatrapati Shivaji memorial premises will house a library, an amphitheatre, an aquarium, an IMAX theatre to showcase short films on the Maratha warrior king, guest rooms and a helipad at the site. It will have replicas of the Tuljabhavani Temple, the entrance arch of the Raigad Fort, and forecourts modelled on the palaces and wadas, traditional residential structures of the Maratha period.
The urban infrastructure projects green lighted by Prime Minister included, DN Nagar - Bandra- Mankhurd Metro 2B Corridor, Wadala-Ghatkopar-Thane- Kasarvadavli Metro 4 Corridor, Mumbai Trans Harbour link connecting South Mumbai with Navi Mumbai and Pune Expressway, and Mumbai Urban Transport Project III including procurement of new age suburban train rakes, quadrupling of Virar-Dahanu stretch, new 28 km corridor between Panvel - Karjat- Khopoli and other projects.
In addition, the Railways also exchanged MoUs with Government of Maharashtra for the 48 km Bandra-Virar Elevated Rail Corridor, CST-Panvel Elevated Rail Corridor and 70 km Vasai - Diva-Panvel suburban corridor.
While Maharashtra Governor CH Vidyasagar Rao, Maharashtra chief Devendra Fadnavis, Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari, M Venkaiah Naidu and Suresh Prabhu were among the prominent dignitaries present at the function.
Addressing the gathering, Railway Minister Prabhu said a New Year package has been gifted to Mumbaikars costing more than 55,000 crore for improvement of suburban infrastructure in the city of Mumbai.