Shinde asks Thane collector to look into Samruddhi Mahamarg

Thane Guardian Minister Eknath Shinde has asked the district collector to inquire into the allegations of irregularities in the Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg project.

At the district planning committee meeting here on Saturday, BJP MLA from Murbad (Thane) Kisan Kathore alleged that some revenue officials were involved in irregularities in the acquisition of land in the district and payment of compensation to farmers and villagers affected by the project.

Taking a serious note of the charges, Shinde asked Collector Rajesh Narvekar to conduct a probe into it.

The Mumbai-Nagpur Super Communication Expressway,also known as theMaharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg,is a planned 701km-long, eight-lane expressway that will run through 10 districts in the state.

It is expected to cut travel time between the two cities to eight hours from the current 15 hours.

It is estimated to cost Rs 46,000 crore and will pass through Nagpur, Buldhana, Amravati, Wardha, Washim, Thane, Aurangabad, Akola, Bhiwandi and Nashik districts.

The project is facing opposition from farmers in some pockets along its 700-km route, especially in Nashik district.

Meanwhile, Shinde also approved a Rs 20 crore annual plan for the Thane district for 2019-20.

He directed the district officials to utilise the funds to complete the pending works well before the Lok Sabha polls due later this year.