Cong, MVA stall flyovers move

MVA sources, however, said the final decision would be taken only when party founder Suresh Kalmadi was in the city. On the another hand, the Congress, which had boycotted the morning meeting with Gadkari, demanded a detailed discussion on the project since its cost was exaggerated. In a press statement, party corporators have expressed surprise as to why Gadkari was in a hurry to push the proposal. They said any decision could not be taken when Deputy Mayor, standing committee chairman, leader of the house and leader of the opposition were not in the city. The statement was signed by Ankush Kakade, Ajit Apte, Shantilal Suratwala, Ramesh Khanna, Padmaja Gole, Alka Patil, Ajit Darekar and Ramdas Pawar.

Kakade said the government was in hurry because the Assembly elections were slated within the next few months. Kakade said the BJP was trying to collect funds for the polls by launching the entire project. Kakade charged that Gadkari was not interested in flyovers but in floating the tenders.

Mayor Vastala Andekar, conspicuous by her absence in the meeting with Gadkari, said she did not attend the meeting since other office-bearers were not in the city. She also expressed her displeasure at not being given a written invitation by Gadkari.

She was informed verbally by a BJP corporator. Andekar said she favoured the project but would insist on detailed discussion on it.

Both Andekar and Kakade could not explain their objections to then proposal if the MSRDC was ready to bear the entire expenses.Earlier, in the morning, Gadkari announced that the MSRDC would initiate the ambitious project even if the PMC and PCMC refused to share the expenses.

At the Circuit House this morning, Gadkari said Municipal Commissioner Rajiv Agrawal and corporatos had agreed to share the expenses for shifting of service lines including water, sewerage, telephones and electric cables. Gadkari said the civic officials had also agreed to remove encroachments if required. Gadkari said the MSRDC was willing to commence the work immediately after a formal approval from both the corporations. He said MSRDC would also construct five flyovers in Pimpri-Chinchwad even if the PCMC standing committee had rejected its proposal. He hoped that the PCMC would also meet the expenses for shifting of utility lines.