- विज्ञापन -
New Delhi: The Congress party has leveled serious allegations against the Mahayuti government in Maharashtra, claiming it has orchestrated a massive Rs 10,000 crore scam linked to highway projects.
During a press briefing, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera accused the government of colluding with select companies to award infrastructure projects in exchange for electoral donations, resulting in significant losses for taxpayers. He highlighted that the per-kilometer cost of highway construction in Maharashtra was inflated compared to similar projects in other states and those managed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
Khera stated, “In Maharashtra, the cost was doubled, draining Rs 10,000 crore from taxpayers’ pockets.” He further criticized the government for allegedly manipulating tender processes, claiming that legal frameworks were bypassed. “Tender guidelines, which restrict companies to two projects each, were blatantly violated, with two companies being awarded four projects each in Pune,” he asserted.
The Congress leader also pointed to irregularities in tunnel construction projects, alleging that while tunnel work constituted only 10% of the projects, the entire project was reclassified as a “tunnel project” to benefit certain firms. He compared the project costs in Maharashtra, estimated at Rs 20,990 crore, to similar projects elsewhere, which were priced at Rs 10,087 crore.
The Mahayuti government, which includes Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena, the BJP, and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, is under scrutiny as Maharashtra prepares for state elections on November 20.
Khera also drew parallels between the current BJP-led government and the organized crime syndicates that once plagued Mumbai in the 1990s. “The BJP government has pushed Mumbai back into that era. A man sitting in a jail in Gujarat is making threats. How is this possible? The public is aware of these issues,” he remarked.
Shifting focus to pollution in Delhi, Khera criticized the government for its failure to tackle the annual pollution crisis. “For the last decade, the government has been shifting blame and making empty promises. Now that they are in power in Punjab, they can no longer point fingers, yet the situation remains unresolved,” he concluded.
