MNS vandalise PWD office in Navi Mumbai

In response to Public Works Department Minister Chandrakant Patil’s controversial statement about potholes and the condition of roads in Mumbai and the rest of the state, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena workers vandalised the PWD office in Turbhe, Navi Mumbai, on Monday.

MNS local workers termed the acts of vandalism as 'surgical strike'. Meanwhile, Patil has apologised in the Legislative Council for his remarks.

Patil, while addressing media in Sangli on Saturday, had said that potholes alone can’t be blamed for the recent deaths on the road. “When you talk about a death in an accident, you forget that five lakh other people have travelled on the same road,” Patil had said.

The MNS has also threatened the state government that if it fails to repair the Sion-Panvel highway, which cost Rs 1200 crore, the party will escalate their protest.

MNS has also written a letter to CM Devendra Fadnavis and the Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner asking them to file a criminal case against PWD (MSRDC) Minister Eknath Shinde and Minister of State for PWD Pravin Pote, holding them responsible for the bad condition of highways, where motorists lost their lives.

Minister Patil, while giving reply in the Upper House on Monday, said, “I offer an apology, if my statement (on bad roads)

conveyed insensitivity on the issue.” The minister said that it was the responsibility of the civic bodies to fill up potholes in their respective area of operation.

He added that he has been constantly monitoring the condition of the roads. “Last year I travelled in almost all the 36 districts of the state to review the work of filling up potholes. Similarly, since last year we are giving a two-year annual maintenance contract wherein the contractor is required to fill up potholes that come up during this period,” he said.

“Besides, all roads in Maharashtra will be of cement concrete (instead of bitumen) in the coming years,’’ he said.