Aaditya Thackeray accuses BJP govt of undermining Mumbai's economic importance

Shiv Sena UBT leader Aaditya Thackeray on Sunday accused the Maharashtra government of favouring the Adani Group in projects such as the redevelopment of Dharavi in Mumbai while systematically undermining the citys economic significance PTI reportedSpeaking at a party event Thackeray also called for the establishment of facilities and incentives for Mumbai similar to Gujarats GIFT City Gujarat International Finance TecCity alleging that there has been a deliberate erosion of the metropolis financial statureAs per PTI he further criticised the ruling BJP claiming that major projects and the headquarters of several companies had been moved from Mumbai to Gujarat and DelhiThackeray questioned the negative impact this shift was having on Maharashtras economyHow will Mumbai benefit when its economic backbone is being deliberately weakened Even in Jharkhand and Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh people ask why new projects are going to Gujarat instead of other states he said PTI citedThe former state minister also accused the government of deliberately putting financial strain on the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport BEST undertakings bus services in Mumbai which have seen their fleet reduced from 4000 buses to just 15002000By 2027 we had planned to introduce 10000 electric buses including 900 doubledecker buses Now even the iconic red buses are disappearing The red bus was a symbol of Mumbai but today you cannot distinguish it from an advertisement hoarding he saidThe MLA from Mumbais Worli said that the poor state of public transport was part of a broader strategy to distract the public from pressing issues such as land grabs by corporate entities PTI citedHe also accused the government of transferring large plots of land in Mumbai to the Adani Group under the guise of redevelopmentThe Shiv Sena UBT leader claimed that the Dharavi redevelopment project would displace 15 lakh families forcing them to leave Mumbai Residents will receive only 305 square feet homes that will be placed in ways which will destroy their livelihood Thackeray claimedThis is not redevelopment its exploitation he charged PTI reportedDharavi one of the worlds most densely populated urban areas is a slum that houses both residential and small industrial unitsNotably the Supreme Court on Friday declined to stay the Dharavi redevelopment project seeking responses from the Maharashtra government and Adani Properties Pvt Ltd the company awarded the tender for the project regarding a petition challenging a December 20 2024 ruling by the Bombay High Court PTI reportedThe high court had cleared the way for the redevelopment of Dharavis slums and upheld the tender awarded to the Adani Group ruling that there was no arbitrariness unreasonableness or perversity in the decisionThe court dismissed a petition from UAEbased Seclink Technologies Corporation which had challenged the state governments decision to award the multibillion rupee redevelopment project to Adani Properties Ltd which had made a Rs 5069crore offer PTI reportedThackeray also called for equal treatment between Mumbai and Gujarats GIFT City demanding subsidies and incentives for Mumbai to maintain its position as Indias economic powerhouseMumbai has been Indias economic backbone for decades We will not let it lose its importance he assertedThe Shiv Sena UBT leader concluded by accusing the government of prioritising corporate interests over public welfareThere is nothing wrong with earning wealth in Mumbai but looting Mumbaikars for it is unacceptable he said PTI reportedWith inputs from PTI