BMC polls: Goyal seeks support for ‘triple-engine’ governance

Mumbai, Jan 11 (PTI) Union minister Piyush Goyal on Sunday urged voters to support what he described as a “triple-engine” model of governance involving the Centre, the state and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

Addressing a campaign rally in Mumbai’s Dahisar (East) area ahead of the January 15 BMC elections, the senior BJP leader appealed to citizens to turn out in large numbers and back Mahayuti candidates to ensure coordination among different levels of government.

Goyal, who is also the Mumbai North MP, referred to recent municipal council and nagar panchayat polls and said the Mahayuti won 4,422 of 6,851 seats, or about 64 per cent.

Referring to the BJP and its partners at the Centre and in the state, he said voters should choose the “triple-engine” model of governance by giving a similar mandate to the Mahayuti alliance in the BMC polls.

Stating that corporators play a role in civic service delivery, he said voters should elect representatives who can raise local issues and follow up with the administration.

Goyal said the BJP-led Mahayuti focuses on education, skill development and employment, and alleged that some projects were delayed due to opposition from rival parties.

Listing projects in the north Mumbai region, Goyal referred to housing and redevelopment initiatives, including slum rehabilitation schemes, settlement of rent arrears in the Devipada SRA project affecting 802 families, handover of about 1,000 SRA houses in Dahisar (East), and self-redevelopment projects across Mumbai.

He also highlighted the Devipada underpass and provision of water connections to chawls near Keshavnagar.

Goyal said the relocation of the Airports Authority of India’s radar from Dahisar has been completed after discussions with the Union Civil Aviation Ministry, and claimed this would allow redevelopment projects in areas such as Dahisar, Magathane and Borivali to move forward.

On health and skill infrastructure, he referred to the redevelopment of Bhagwati and Shatabdi hospitals, the construction of a 1,000-bed Damani multispecialty hospital, and the functioning and proposed skill development centres in Kandivali, Thakur Village and Satra Park in Borivali. He also mentioned a proposal for a skill university in the region.

In his address, Goyal appealed to voters to support Mahayuti candidate Prakash Yashwant Darekar from Ward No. 3.

Elections to 29 municipal corporations across Maharashtra, including the BMC, are scheduled for January 15, and votes will be counted the next day. PTI ND NR