Will push for Western Freeway project: Lodha

According to Lodha,the work on Worli-Haji Ali and Haji Ali to Nariman Point links should be started within 12 months. “There had been a lot of delay in the completion of Bandra Worli Sea Link. Had it been BJP-Shiv Sena government the project would have been completed in time. I will be talking to the minister concerned on a regular basis and pushing the project for its timely completion,” Lodha promised. He added that the Worli-Haji Ali Sea Link,which was not cleared by the CM,before the polls should be cleared after government formation and simultaneously,work on the next arm started.

Lodha also plans creation of one job for each family by imparting technical education,including specialised computer training programmes. “Employment for locals will also be a priority,” he stated. Lodha added that,“Special focus will be on job creation for women by opening a minimum of 10 Mahila Bachat Gats in each ward,each year. These shall be provided with minimum assured sales of Rs. 1 lakh per year and marketing support.

One of Lodha’s action plans includes a plan to achieve traffic-free Malabar Hill. “It (Malabar Hill) is for the residents and not a thoroughfare. 1000 parking spaces for public uses are also to be created,” Lodha added.

Lodha,also among the city’s prominent builders,plans redevelopment of dilapidated buildings in Girgaum swathe that was added to the constituency after delimitation. According to Lodha,the current redevelopment under 33 (9) of DCR seems more beneficial to developers and they need to be altered for it to be beneficial to tenants of chawls in

Girgaum and Khetwadi areas of the constituency.

The other plans include enhancement of civic infrastructure via JNNURM funds,abolition of Octroi in Mumbai,encouraging goldsmiths in Girgaum through the annual gold festival. For Lodha who campaigned with the slogan of “Bolta Nahi,Karta Hoon”,time would be the test of his promises.