Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Sunday accused the Maharashtra government of favouring the Adani Group in key projects, including the Dharavi redevelopment, claiming its actions are undermining Mumbai’s economic prominence and harming residents.
Dharavi redevelopment
Thackeray criticised the displacement of 1.5 lakh families under the guise of redevelopment, arguing that they would receive inadequate housing, jeopardizing their livelihoods. “This is not redevelopment; it’s exploitation,” he said. The Dharavi project, awarded to Adani Properties, has been controversial, though the Supreme Court recently declined to stay it. The Bombay High Court also upheld the tender process, ruling it was neither arbitrary nor unreasonable.
Concerns over Mumbai’s public transport
Thackeray also raised alarms over the deteriorating state of Mumbai’s public transport, particularly the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking. “The fleet has shrunk from 4,000 to barely 1,500-2,000 buses,” he noted, lamenting the disappearance of the city’s iconic red double-decker buses. “By 2027, we had planned 10,000 electric buses, but now even those ambitions are vanishing.”
Calling for parity with Gujarat’s GIFT City, Thackeray demanded similar incentives and subsidies to sustain Mumbai’s stature as India’s financial powerhouse. “Mumbai has been India’s economic backbone for decades. We won’t let it lose its importance,” he asserted.
Corporate favouritism
Thackeray accused the government of prioritising corporate interests over public welfare. “Earning wealth in Mumbai is fine, but looting Mumbaikars for it is unacceptable,” he said, vowing to oppose policies that disadvantage the city’s residents.