Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari has shot off a letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to bring to his notice that local Shiv Sena leaders in some areas were creating hurdles in highway projects. In the two page-letter sent on Friday, Gadkari complained that some Sena members were “threatening and making irrational demands” from contractors and officials working on national highway projects in state. “As a result, work is being hampered,” he added. Taking cognisance of the letter, Thackeray on Saturday ordered a probe in the matter. He asked Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil to look into the matter. Accordingly, Director General of Police Sanjay Pandey has been instructed to submit a report. Gadkari said that the local Sena leaders are trying to thwart work on projects like the four-lane Akola to Nanded highway, Medshi-Washim package 2 highway, Malegaon Risod highway and repair of Pulgaon-Karanja-Mehkar-Sindkheda highway. At Selu Bazaar in Washim-Yavatmal constituency, Sena workers have burnt road construction machines, Gadkari said without naming anyone. “If Sena leaders and elected representatives continue with such behaviour, it would be difficult to carry out the projects. People in the region will also be upset if projects are not completed.,” Gadkari wrote. When contacted, Sena MP Bhawana Gawli from Washim-Yavatmal said: “Almost 90 per cent of the project work in the constituency has been completed. In some parts, local people have objected to the work.”
