Expressway to be ready only by December 2001 — CM

Meanwhile, Opposition leader in the Council Nitin Gadkari today alleged that the Democratic Front Government had decided to scrap the Megacity project under the pressure of the builders’ lobby.

The construction work of the expressway will be badly hit due to scrapping of the Megacity project, which was planned to raise funds for the expressway, he feared."The decision has been taken to safeguard the interests of private builders and developers who had purchased land in large quantities in the area near Mumbai and Pune where the Megacity project was planned." Gadkari alleged that the Government’s decision would place an additional burden on the taxpayer as cost of the expressway would be met by the State Exchequer. Earlier, the MSRDC was planning to raise funds through the Megacity project for the expressway’s construction.

Gadkari demanded a secretary-level inquiry to reveal the names of those builders and developers whose plots were located in the area where the government was planning to set up the Megacity project.

Deshmukh, however, denied the allegations, saying the decision was taken following protests by local farmers. "This government dared to take the decision pending during the previous regime," he said, while reacting on the Opposition leaders’ comments that the DF government was taking only those decisions where land was involved.

Minister for Public Works (MSRDC) Vikramsinh Patankar said that the construction of expressway was delayed due to several reasons and not for want of funds. "Due to some problems, the construction in the Ghat section of the expressway was delayed. Also there were some litigations in court alleging that the construction in the Ghat section would damage the environment," he pointed out. About 64 kms of the expressway was already operational, he added.

"The scrapping of the project will not affect the financial condition of the corporation as the Government has assured compensation for the possible loss of funds to the corporation," he said.