Congress wants CIDCO's low-cost mass housing project shifted

The Congress on Wednesday led a delegation to Maharashtra Minister Eknath Shinde, seeking shifting a low-cost mass housing project to be built under a central scheme in Navi Mumbai elsewhere, contending it is being opposed by locals.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had in December 2018 launched the City and Industrial Development Corporation's (CIDCO) mass housing scheme worth Rs 18,000 crore, which offers around 89,771 affordable units under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY).

Maharashtra Congress general secretary Sachin Sawant, who led the delegation of the locals, said the project is "unjust" towards residents of Kamothe, Kharghar and Khandeshwar, localities in Navi Mumbai.

A party statement said Shinde, a Shiv Sena leader who holds the urban development ministry, assured the delegation that he will look into the matter.

"The locals have objected to the project. They want the CIDCO to shift the project elsewhere.

"The project was imposed on the CIDCO so that Modi could launch it ahead of the (Lok Sabha) election (held last year)," the statement quoted Sawant as saying.

Sawant alleged the reservation of land parcel, on which the project is to come up, was originally meant for public amenities, but it was changed without any public hearing.

The Congress is part of the Shiv Sena-led government in the state.