Aaditya Thackeray, the leader of the Shiv Sena (UBT), strongly criticised the Maharashtra government, which is led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, for choosing to concretize 400 km of roads in Mumbai. He claimed that since concrete does not absorb water, the building of such roads could soon transform the financial centre of India into a new Joshimath.
A geological phenomenon known as land subsidence—the gradual settling or sinking of the surface caused by the erosive loss of water and other resources from the ground—has rendered a number of homes “unsafe” for habitation and several other public facilities are also on the verge of collapse. Furthermore, the situation in the holy town has gotten worse due to over-concretization. While government organisations like the Central Building Research Institute struggle to find ways to stop Joshimath from completely collapsing, demolition work has already begun on a number of structures, and residents have been relocated to safety.
‘No city in the world is entirely covered with concrete roads. Concrete roads don’t absorb rainwater. If there is a flood in Mumbai, who will be responsible for it? If a situation like Joshimath arises in Mumbai tomorrow, who will be responsible?’ asked Aaditya Thackeray.
‘Mumbai does not require concrete roads. Peddar road and Marine Drive are asphalt roads…I appeal to politicians across the party lines to call out this scam. Otherwise, Mumbai will have to pay the price for it,’ said the Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA.
Aditya Thackeray argued against concretizing Mumbai’s 400 km of roads, claiming the state government wants to steal money from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). Thackeray questioned, ‘How can the civic body issue tenders worth Rs 6,000 crores at a time when there are no public representatives?’
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