Maharashtra government cabinet has decided to name the Versova-Bandra Sea Link after Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. The cabinet also passed the proposal to rename the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) after former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
The decisions were taken in the state cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. In a statement made one month ago, CM Shinde announced that the bridge would be named after V D Savarkar.
Apart from this, CM Shinde also announced the decision to increase the limit of Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Jan Arogya Yojana from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh. The scheme will benefit all people of the state.
Speaking about the decision, a key leader and a member of the Maharashtra cabinet, Sudhir Munganitwar, said that there should be no dispute over the decision as it honoured two respected individuals of the state who made significant positive contributions to the nation.
The Versova Bandra Sea Link is a structure spanning over 5.6 kilometres. The sea link has eased the never-ending traffic congestion in the country's financial capital. It facilitates faster travel between Versova and Bandra, which can be completed in a matter of minutes compared to the hours spent negotiating the city traffic earlier.
The upcoming 17-km sea link will connect Andheri to the Bandra-Worli Sea Link as part of the coastal road. The MTHL will connect Mumbai to Navi Mumbai and is expected to be completed by December this year.
(With agency inputs)