On one hand, Shiv Sena leader in the BMC alleged that the state government has closed the quarries only to defame the Shiv Sena, while on the other Yuva Sena president Aditya Thackeray met the chief minister to draw his attention towards road works in the city which have halted in want of boulders.
Yashwant Jadhav, Shiv Sena group leader in the BMC, alleged that there is a politics behind closing quarries and questioned the timing of this decision.
Congress corporator Asif Zakeria has alleged that the work of side panels on S.V. Road has been stalled as the contractor has been blacklisted. Replying to this allegation, Sena corporator Ashish Chemburkar said that work on six roads in Wadala has been stalled due to lack of boulders to repair the roads. He warned that the BMC administration would be held responsible and not the standing committee if roads get badly affected during the rainy season. Replying to this, chief engineer (roads) Sanjay Darade informed the House that the Green Tribunal has ordered the closure of quarries in Thane area and hence these works are affected.
This had forced the Yuva Sena president and Mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar to meet chief minister Devendra Fadnavis who has assured them a favourable decision within a week and also said that boulders would be made available by May 31.
Objecting to the arguments of Shiv Sena corporators, BJP group leader Manoj Kotak said that BMC administration should not mislead the house by taking the name of the chief minister. He stressed that there is no condition that boulders should be brought only from quarries in Thane district. It is the responsibility of the contractor to bring the boulders for road works, he added.
Yashwant Jadhav further raised a question over the timing of decision for closure of quarries. It is being taken when road works were halfway. Were the concerned authorities not aware of illegal quarries, he asked and claimed that there is a political conspiracy behind this so that the BMC may not complete road repair works till May 30.
Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party group leader Rais Shaikh alleged that Shiv Sena should stop ‘tourism’ of ‘Varsha’ (chief minister’s residence) so that road repair and nullah cleaning works get properly done.
The BMC has employed the contractors against whom the action was initiated in road repair scam. If such contractors block the road repair works on the pretext of non-availability of boulders then action would be taken against them, warned Sanjay Darade. He also stated the performance of new contractors would be counted if they complete their works on time. Currently, demand for boulders is rising and quarry owners are supplying to those contractors who have paid them in advance, informed Darade.
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