 "Hasty projects' inaugurals spell disasters like Morbi: Shiv Sena (UBT)")
The Shiv Sena (UBT) has drawn the attention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the rash inaugurals of various incomplete/semi-complete infrastructure projects all over India which can result in monumental disasters like the Morbi Ropeway bridge crash and risk claiming hundreds of innocent lives.
In an open letter to the PM, the Sena (UBT) National Spokesperson Kishore Tiwari said that the entire country and the world is 'disturbed' by the Morbi mishap that snuffed out around 150 lives, including women and children "like no other incident in the past 9 years of your rule".
He said that an analysis of the incident indicates that it is largely due to the 'undue haste' of projects' inaugurations with a publicity blitzkrieg of hundreds of crores of rupees unleashed by the government, officials and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party leaders without following the mandatory safety-security and fit-to-use protocols.
"This is not only the obsession with the Centre but also in all other BJP-ruled states, especially those which are scheduled to go for Assembly/Local elections," said Tiwari without mincing words.
He claimed that the ribbon-cutting ceremonies are organised for many partially-completed projects without bothering to ascertain the Test Certificates, Completion Certificates, Fitness Certificates, Worthiness Certificates, etc., from the concerned local or Competent Authority - which tantamount to not only fooling the masses but endangering peoples' lives.
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Tiwari said that the Morbi Bridge tragedy occurred allegedly after contractors were forced by Gujarat ministers to open it for use even before getting the relevant statutory approvals, with elections round-the-corner in the PM's home-state.
He cited several other instances like 'incomplete' roads, highways, railways and other projects that were inaugurated all over India in the past nine years, accompanied by massive publicity at public expense to mislead the people that the 'projects are all ready and implemented'.
The Sena (UBT) leader demanded to know what was the fate of the ill-planned SeaPlane Project in Gujarat and to 100 other locations under the UDAAN Scheme as not a single flight is operating.
"Aviation players say this is because of poor planning, lack of infrastructure from the waterfront landing point to the actual place of destination which takes hours as many lakes/rivers/reservoirs are in inaccessible hills, jungles, etc.," Tiwari pointed out.
He also referred to the inauguration of Nagpur Metro Rail Project just before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections - only 7 kms out of the total 86 kms - and the rest remains incomplete till date.
"What was the morality of taking credit for the inauguration of a project which is not half-complete even today and its untimely inauguration has caused loss worth several crores of public funds," Tiwari asked.
He added that similar is the case with the hurriedly-launched 'Vande Bharat Express' trains which reportedly did not undergo safety tests and the services are hit even by small collisions with cattle!
Tiwari said that the new government in Maharashtra is planning to inaugurate the partly-done Mumbai-Nagpur Super Expressway to take advantage in the upcoming civic elections, and raised doubts if all the safety checks are completed.
Since "everything that is not complete is ready for inauguration", Tiwari urged the PM to advise Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis to "immediately inaugurate the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Project or Mumbai Trans Harbour Link, etc.," to claim credit of doing 'high-speed work in just 4 months in power', he urged, taking a swipe at the Shinde-Fadnavis government here.
Tiwari observed how the people of Gujarat and the nation are angered as the PM and the state CM Bhupendra Patel didn't cancel their routine engagements post-Morbi disaster.
"PM Sir, the Late PM Lal Bahadur Shastriji had resigned when 140 people died in a train accident, upholding the highest morality and accountability in public life. Can we expect a similar example now...?" Tiwari concluded.
(Quaid Najmi can be contacted at: q.najmi@ians.in)
--IANS
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