Aaditya Thackeray Vows to Scrape BMC Contracts if MVA Comes to Power

GG News Bureau
Mumbai, 30th July. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Monday said that contracts awarded by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to a cartel of contractors for road construction will be scrapped if the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) comes to power following the elections.

Thackeray alleged that the state government is planning to release a portion of funds under the advanced mobilisation category as a means to siphon off money from the BMC. He criticized the BMC for awarding contracts worth Rs 6,000 crore to five contractors, who he claimed are closely associated with Maharashtra’s “illegal” chief minister. Thackeray vowed that these contracts would be canceled once the MVA government is in office after the November elections.

“The advance payment of funds was never required and we will oppose it,” Thackeray said, addressing reporters. He expressed concern over the hasty issuance of new contracts despite ongoing road construction work and incomplete previous projects.

Thackeray questioned the urgency of awarding new work orders when earlier projects remain unfinished. He also claimed that the BMC had amended its construction plan last year following his objections, resulting in a Rs 900 crore reduction in costs, indicating that costs are being deliberately inflated.

He cited the example of the Bandra-Varsova sea link road, where the project’s cost has reportedly risen by Rs 6,728 crore to Rs 18,120 crore without any physical progress.

Additionally, Thackeray slammed the National Highway Authority of India for the poor quality of highways constructed in Maharashtra.