Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 22 (ANI): On Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole's statement on the Atal Setu, BJP leader Shaina NC said on Saturday that the speed at which the Mahayuti government is working is seen by everyone.
Speaking with ANI, Shaina NC said, "The speed at which the Mahayuti government is working, be it the trans harbour link, metro, coastal road or Atal Setu is seen by everyone. The relief it gives to Mumbaikers, suburban Mumbaikers and the people living around is known to one and all."
She added further, "If Nana Patole has such a big problem... maybe he should not use the bridge. If he (Nana Patole) finds faults with small cracks that the engineers are looking at and working towards tirelessly, maybe he should abstain from using these new connectivities, which have eased the lives of crores of people in Maharashtra."
Notably, Nana Patole had launched a scathing attack on the BJP and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena government and alleged that there was widespread corruption in the construction of Atal Bihari Vajpayee Sewri-Nhava Seva Atal Setu after cracks emerged in the approach road to the bridge.
Nana Patole had said, "I want to ask the govt a question. This year, Mumbai hasn't received the kind of rain it usually receives otherwise, the whole way would have been washed away. On the way without heavy rainfall, if there is a crack in a 2-2.5-foot-long way, what can we make of it? they (govt) don't care about people dying. There is corruption in the construction of Atal Setu and the approach road. They are explaining it to hide the truth but they accepted that there is a crack."
He further said, "The bridge was inaugurated in three months and how did a crack develop so fast in the link road? If the government is lying to hide their sins, that is their problem, and then it is their issue."
On Friday, Nana Patole claimed that there were cracks on Atal Setu and inspected the bridge.
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) said on Friday that minor cracks were found on the approach road connecting Atal Setu in Ulwe, which is not a part of the bridge but is a service road connecting the bridge.
MMRDA stated that the cracks are not due to structural defects in the project and do not pose any threat to the structure of the bridge.
MMRDA also labelled the news as 'rumours' and urged the citizens not to believe them.
According to MMRDA, these minor cracks were already noticed at three places on Ramp No. 5, from Ulwe towards Mumbai, on Thursday during an inspection by the Operation and Maintenance Team of the Project and require immediate repair. Strabag, the contractor of Package 4 of the Atal Setu project, has started the repair work in the said area and the work will be completed within 24 hours without any disruption to the traffic on the bridge. (ANI)
