Taking jibes at the ‘inefficacy’ of erstwhile non-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) governments in Maharashtra, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, after inaugurating the Pune Metro Rail on Sunday, said while foundation stones of projects were used to be laid before in Pune, no one could know when they would be operational.
Mr. Modi’s day-long visit, ahead of the crucial Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad civic body polls likely next month, commenced with the PM unveiling a 9.5–ft. tall statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji at the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) premises, thereby being only the second Indian Premier after Jawaharlal Nehru to visit the PMC since 1961.
He then inaugurated a 12–km stretch of the 32.2–km Pune Metro Rail Project, which is being built at a projected cost of ₹11,400 crore and travelled 5 km on one of the lines.
“It is my good fortune that you [people of Pune] had called me for laying the foundation stone of Pune Metro [2016] and now you have also given me the opportunity to inaugurate it. Earlier, while foundation stones were laid, no one knew when the project’s inauguration would take place…this Metro will ease mobility in Pune, give relief from pollution and jams, increase the ease of living of the people of Pune,” said Mr. Modi, in a veiled rebuke to the erstwhile Congress–Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) government in Maharashtra while addressing a public meeting at the MIT College ground.
Promising that the project would enhance the living standards of the population, Mr. Modi lauded the efforts of the BJP leaders in the PMC and the enthusiasm of former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in helping to get the project operational.
“Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, this section of the Pune Metro is ready for service today. Solar power is also being used extensively for its operation. This will stop the emission of about 25,000 tons of carbon dioxide every year,” said the PM.
Mr. Modi had laid the foundation stone of the Metro rail project in December 2016 just ahead of the 2017 Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad civic polls with a bitter Congress and NCP accusing the BJP of claiming credit for the project which was mooted by the two alliance parties under Prithviraj Chavan’s chief ministership.
He also laid the foundation stone of the “Rejuvenation And Pollution Abatement of Mula-Mutha River project” under the Centre’s ambitious National River Conservation Plan (NRCP).
The more than ₹1,470–crore project has been criticised by a section of environmentalists who have claimed that it would only result in the rise of floodwater levels while irreversibly destroying the rich biodiversity along the riverbank.
Stating that the PMC had started many works to make Pune clean and beautiful, Mr. Modi said such multi-crore projects would help in freeing Pune from recurring floods and pollution.
“The Central government is also giving full support to the Pune Municipal Corporation for the cleanliness and beautification of the Mula-Mutha river. If the rivers rejuvenate, the people of the city will also get relief, they will also get new energy,” said the PM.
Remarking that Pune was renowned for its “cultural, spiritual and patriotic consciousness”, the PM said Pune had continuously strengthened its identity in the fields of education, research and development, IT and automobile sectors.
With the objective of retaining the BJP’s dominance in the PMC in the 2022 civic polls, Mr. Modi unveiled a slew of projects besides the Metro including a fleet of 150 electric buses to give boost to green urban mobility and an electric bus depot, equipped with charging station at Baner.
The PM also e- inaugurated the R. K. Laxman Art Gallery Museum in Balewadi showcasing cartoons drawn by legendary cartoonist R.K. Laxman.
Protests were staged against the BJP and Mr. Modi by the city Congress leaders who waved black flags and placards demanding he “go back”.
The leaders alleged that the Prime Minister and the BJP were repeatedly “betraying Maharashtra” as the Centre had done injustice towards the State when it was reeling under natural calamities and Covid-19.
“The Pune Metro is the concept of the Congress. It was senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan who had played a pivotal role in its approval during his tenure as Chief Minister. He was not invited to the inauguration ceremony,” said party spokesperson Ramesh Iyer.
