Nagpur: State chief minister Uddhav Thackeray took a dig at Union minister Nitin Gadkari saying, “We want Maharashtra’s development and will not allow any speed breakers in its progress.”
Thackeray was referring to Gadkari’s recent letter to the CM which stated that Shiv Sainiks were putting a spoke in the wheel of National Highway Authority of India’s (NHAI) road work in Washim area. In the two-page letter, Gadkari, who is the Union minister for road transport and highways, wrote that a group of Sainiks were threatening contractors and officials working on NHAI projects in the state.
Directly addressing Gadkari during his online speech at the inaugural function of an additional stretch of Nagpur Metro network, Thackeray said, “You are a soft man to speak to but your written words are very harsh. You are committed to work and so are we. We will follow our party’s morals of never allowing obstruction in public welfare work. I assure you that I will not let anyone come in the way of development.”
The CM added that the state is taking efforts to ensure that Nagpur is counted among the best cities of the country. “To make sure that the development is fast, all parties need to join hands. We need to keep aside politics and bring people together,” said Thackeray.
Gadkari, who was among the earlier speakers, promised to provide Rs 1 lakh crore for the development of Mumbai and Thane cities. “I am ready to provide Rs 1lakh crore for development works in Maharashtra. I have already sanctioned Rs 1,500 crore for Samruddhi Mahamarg. The work of Nagpur-Mumbai Samruddhi Mahamarg has been started by my ministry along with the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation. All the funds required by the state will be provided by the Centre,” the minister added.