
Deputy CM Shinde promises to make Indrayani pollution-free for fourth time in two years
Pune: Deputy chief minister
Eknath Shinde
on Friday repeated his promise to make the Indrayani river pollution-free for the fourth time in the past two years and said the govt would begin work on the project this year.Speaking at an event organised in
Alandi
to commemorate the 750th birth anniversary of Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj, Shinde said, "The govt is serious about addressing pollution in the Indrayani. Industries minister Uday Samant and the chief minister are actively working on this." He said plans were being made to install
sewage treatment plants
(STPs) along the river to prevent the release of untreated effluent into it.The Indrayani holds religious significance for devotees visiting the Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj temple in Alandi.
Some of them even drink its water believing it to be "holy". Shinde visited Alandi twice for the palkhi procession during his tenure as the chief minister and made similar promises. Earlier this year, he attended the "Sant Tukaram Beej" ceremony in Dehu and called for a "people's movement" to restore the river's health.
Shinde's fourth assurance on making the Indrayani pollution-free came just a week after toxic white foam was reported in the river near Alandi. The deputy chief minister announced that the govt would provide Rs25 crore to the warkaris to build "Bhakta Nivas" in Alandi. He said the funds would be allocated from the urban development department. He also said he would take up the demands of warkaris about Dnyan Bhoomi and virtual wari projects. Pune: Deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde on Friday repeated his promise to make the Indrayani river pollution-free for the fourth time in the past two years and said the govt would begin work on the project this year.Speaking at an event organised in Alandi to commemorate the 750th birth anniversary of Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj, Shinde said, "The govt is serious about addressing pollution in the Indrayani. Industries minister Uday Samant and the chief minister are actively working on this." He said plans were being made to install sewage treatment plants (STPs) along the river to prevent the release of untreated effluent into it.The Indrayani holds religious significance for devotees visiting the Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj temple in Alandi. Some of them even drink its water believing it to be "holy". Shinde visited Alandi twice for the palkhi procession during his tenure as the chief minister and made similar promises. Earlier this year, he attended the "Sant Tukaram Beej" ceremony in Dehu and called for a "people's movement" to restore the river's health. Shinde's fourth assurance on making the Indrayani pollution-free came just a week after toxic white foam was reported in the river near Alandi. The deputy chief minister announced that the govt would provide Rs25 crore to the warkaris to build "Bhakta Nivas" in Alandi. He said the funds would be allocated from the urban development department. He also said he would take up the demands of warkaris about Dnyan Bhoomi and virtual wari projects.

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India Gazette
a day ago
- India Gazette
"Journey that used to take 18 hours, will take 8 hours": Eknath Shinde on Samruddhi Highway
Nashik (Maharashtra) [India], June 5 (ANI): Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Thursday said that the Hindu Hruday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg (Highway) was a 'game changer' as it will reduce travel time from 18 hours to only eight hours. While addressing the press conference, Shinde said that the highway would save fuel and time, proving beneficial for the people. 'The last phase was inaugurated by the popular Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. It is a game-changer project in Maharashtra. It was the most difficult and challenging project. It will benefit the people to a large extent. The journey that used to take 18 hours will take 8 hours. It will save fuel, it will save time,' Shinde said. He said that the final leg of the Samruddhi Highway would benefit farmers, who used to travel to Mumbai from Nagpur with their produce, as they would reach the financial capital within a day instead of multiple days. 'The last phase will benefit Nashik. A farmer from Nagpur who left in the morning with farm produce used to reach Mumbai in three days, but now the farmer who left in the morning will reach Mumbai in the evening,' the Deputy CM said. 'This will give a boost to industries everywhere,' he added. Shinde said that the Samruddhi Highway was environment-friendly since many facilities have been provided to ensure that wild animals are not disturbed and can move freely. 'Even the most minor things have been kept in mind. Facilities have been provided so that wild animals will not be disturbed anywhere and can move freely. 11 lakh big trees and 22 lakh small trees have been planted, so this Samruddhi Mahamarg is environmentally friendly,' he informed. He further stated that the highway would boost the agritourism industry. He also said that the already approved 802-kilometre-long Shaktipeeth Highway, which will connect Maharashtra's Nagpur to Goa, will prove beneficial for farmers in the Marathwada region as it would increase connectivity, possibly avoiding farmer suicide. 'Some people were in a hurry for the inauguration, but the work was not completed at that time. It was inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi when I was the Chief Minister. This road will boost the agri-tourism industry,' Shinde said. 'Shaktipeeth Highway will be a game changer for Marathwada farmers. They will not commit suicide. It should be built to benefit the people,' he added. Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said many initially opposed the Samruddhi highway project. He said that the project cost went up to approximately Rs 61,000 crore from Rs 55,000 crore, and nearly 12 crore cement bags were used in the construction of the highway. 'Many people opposed this project when it was starting. It was worth (approximately) Rs 55,000 crore, but it went up to Rs 61,000 crore. Twelve crore cement bags have been used here. Devendra Fadnavis started it when he was the Chief Minister, and now it is rare that it is inaugurated when he is the Chief Minister,' he said. 'We followed all the rules,' said Pawar while talking about taking a drive with Devendra Fadnavis on the highway. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis inaugurated the final phase of the 701-kilometre Highway from Igatpuri in Nashik to Aamne in Thane in the presence of both deputy chief ministers, including Ajit Pawar. Fadnavis also inaugurated the 'Thane Creek Bridge No. 3 South Channel' on the Sion-Panvel Mahamarg, which adds a new dimension to the Mumbai-Pune highway. (ANI)
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Business Standard
a day ago
- Business Standard
Samruddhi Expressway corridor of Maharashtra's prosperity, says CM Fadnavis
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday inaugurated the final 76-km-long stretch of the Samruddhi Mahamarg, making the entire 701-km Mumbai-Nagpur corridor fully functional and reducing travel time between the two cities from around 18 hours to just 8 hours. Fadnavis described the Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Mahamarg as an "engineering marvel", stating that this "economic corridor" would play a vital role in the state's development. By connecting the expressway with the proposed Vadhvan Port, the state plans to develop it into a major economic route. He also mentioned that a Smart Integrated Traffic Management System (ITMS) would be installed soon. Fadnavis announced that the Gas Authority of India Ltd (GAIL) has been given the right of way to lay a gas pipeline along the road from Konkan to Nagpur to Gadchiroli, ensuring industries — including the upcoming Gadchiroli Steel City — will use gas as fuel. He called it both a moment of joy and an "accomplishment of a dream" for the Mahayuti government. The expressway connects 24 districts of Maharashtra with Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) and will soon connect to Vadhvan Port as well. Currently, the expressway sees a monthly frequency of 10 lakh vehicles, a number expected to rise. Fadnavis expressed satisfaction that the project both started and was completed under the Mahayuti leadership, with all top leaders — the CM and two Deputy CMs — present. He also announced that the proposed Shaktipeeth Expressway would spur economic growth in Marathwada, with work beginning soon. Deputy CM Eknath Shinde hailed the Samruddhi Mahamarg as a "game changer" and urged citizens to follow traffic rules. Deputy CM Ajit Pawar noted the project cost had escalated to ₹61,000 crore from ₹55,000 crore. At the start of his speech, Pawar humorously referred to Shinde as the CM before correcting himself, drawing smiles from the crowd. He emphasized that this was CM Fadnavis's dream project — begun during his first term and completed during his second — something rarely achieved. He added that even initial critics later gave land and benefited from compensation. The inauguration at Igatpuri, about 140 km from Mumbai, was attended by Fadnavis, the Deputy CMs, and Ministers Dada Bhuse, Shivendraraje Bhosale, and Narhari Zirwal. Following the ceremony, Fadnavis inspected the longest tunnel and viaduct on the stretch. For the inspection, Deputy CM Shinde drove a high-end car with CM Fadnavis in the front passenger seat and Pawar in the back. The drive lasted 45 minutes from Igatpuri to Amane. On the return trip, Fadnavis drove while Shinde moved to the passenger seat. Pawar humorously remarked that he was observing Shinde's driving and praised the smooth journey, joking that 'we couldn't use the insurance cover.' The third creek bridge near Vashi (on the Sion-Panvel Highway) was also inaugurated via video conferencing. With the inauguration of the final Igatpuri-Amane stretch, the full six-lane 'Hindu Hridaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg' is now open to traffic, the MSRDC confirmed. The journey from Nagpur to Mumbai, which used to take 17–18 hours, now takes just 8. The expressway's final phase will benefit pilgrims from the Thane-Mumbai region traveling to Shirdi, and enable farmers in Shirdi, Ahilyanagar, Sinnar, and Igatpuri to transport produce to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region more efficiently. The Samruddhi Mahamarg connects with the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, JNPT, and major tourist destinations like Shirdi, Ajanta-Ellora Caves (Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar), and Lonar Lake (Buldhana). Phase 1 (520 km): Nagpur to Shirdi — Inaugurated on Dec 11, 2022 by PM Narendra Modi Phase 2 (80 km): Shirdi to Bharvir Interchange — Inaugurated on May 26, 2023 Phase 3 (25 km): Bharvir to Igatpuri — Opened on March 4, 2024 The expressway passes through 392 villages, 26 talukas, and 10 districts: Nagpur, Wardha, Amravati, Washim, Buldhana, Jalna, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Ahilyanagar, Nashik, and Thane.


The Hindu
a day ago
- The Hindu
Does Rahul realise his statements are used by Pakistan against India: Shrikant Shinde
Shiv Sena leader Shrikant Shinde has slammed former Congress president Rahul Gandhi for his "surrender barb" at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over Operation Sindoor and wondered whether he realised that his statements were being used by Pakistan against India. Mr. Shinde, who led a multi-party delegation to four countries in West Asia and West Africa, also said that 'Gandhi should learn from Congress leaders Shashi Tharoor and Salman Khurshid how to put up a united fight against terrorism.' The Sena leader's remarks came in response to Mr. Gandhi's comment claiming that Prime Minister Modi surrendered before the U.S. and agreed to end the hostilities with Pakistan after the terror attack on tourists in Pahalgam. "Such language does not suit him [Rahul Gandhi]. He should realise that Pakistan is using his statements against India. The entire country is watching whether he is speaking in favour of India or against India," Mr. Shinde told PTI Videos. On the politics playing out in India over Operation Sindoor, Mr. Shinde said 'Congress leaders were speaking against the government and Prime Minister Modi only to keep themselves relevant.' "They should learn from [Shashi] Tharoor, [Salman] Khurshid, and others on how to present India's case before the world. How we all should be united in the fight against terrorism and not indulge in politics all the time," Mr. Shinde said. Opposition leaders have been demanding a special session of Parliament to discuss Operation Sindoor, particularly after claims by U.S. President Donald Trump of mediating to avert a nuclear war between India and Pakistan. Mr. Shinde said, 'During this visit to Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Congo, he realised that the West African nations were not aware of the gravity of the problems between India and Pakistan.' He said most of the conflicts in Africa were among ethnic communities and natural resources such as gold, diamonds and other minerals and the leaders wondered whether the issue of Jammu and Kashmir was about similar treasures. "Kashmir is the treasure of India," Mr. Shinde recalled having told African leaders.