After much delay, the debate on Mumbai-related issues finally took place late on Wednesday, which was the last day of the Monsoon Session in the Assembly.
Members of legislative Assembly from Mumbai including BJP’s Mangalprabhat Lodha and NCP’s Nawab Malik participated in the discussion. Despite the absence of the chief minister, who was in New Delhi, the discussion started, as MLAs from both the ruling party and the Opposition insisted on talking about the issued plaguing the city.
Mr Lodha and Mr Malik attacked the IAS lobby for halting all the infrastructure projects in the city. Mr Lodha said that the officers are apprehensive of the government’s support after the Adarsh scam and are not taking decisions.
“Their indecisiveness has been stalling Mumbai’s development. The situation is such that the state does not have any development plans for future,” Mr Lodha said, demanding a separate development department for Mumbai. Moreover, Mr Malik alleged that IAS officers discard the suggestions made by MLAs and public representatives. “However, after some time, the same officers make the same recommendations at escalated costs,” he said.
Mr Malik gave example of Eastern Freeway project, which was held up for 12 years. He further said, “Even the Metro Rail project has not made an inch of progress since it was inaugurated by the President. It is stuck, as there is no space for a carshed at Kandivali.”
“Several MLAs including me had suggested that the carshed could be built in any of the western suburbs. But the then MMRDA commissioner Ratnakar Gaikawad rejected our ideas,” Mr Malik added.