Uddhav Thackeray lays foundation stone of two projects in Thane

Thane, Mar 4 (UNI) Shiv Sena Executive President Uddhav Thackeray laid the foundation stone of the much-awaited Station Area Improvement Scheme and a subway near Nitin castings here.

Speaking at the foundation-laying ceremony yesterday, Mr Thackeray said there was proper co-ordination between the civic administration and the elected representatives. Hence the city could develop, he said.

He said Thane citizens had instilled confidence in Shiv Sena-BJP and hence they returned to power in the recently concluded civic elections in Thane. ''We will live upto the commitments and give our best to the citizens of Thane,'' Mr Thackeray said.

Also present on the occasion were Thane Municipal Commissioner Nandkumar Jantre, Outgoing Thane Mayor Rajan Vichare, Lok Sabha Speaker and MP Manohar Joshi, Central Railway General Manager V K Kaul.

Elaborating about the Station Area Improvement Scheme, Jantre said ''The project has been undertaken and funded jointly by JNURM where the Centre will share 35 per cent of the project cost and the State government will chip in 15 per cent of the cost and is expected to be completed in 18 months.'' Once complete, the project will ease traffic around Thane railway station where commuter traffic is likely to cross seven lakh by 2020. Nearly four lakh people use the area and traffic around Thane station is increasing in leaps and bounds, he said.

Outgoing Mayor Rajan Vichare said the project was the need of the hour and that it would ease traffic woes around the station after its completion.

Mr Joshi, on the other hand, said it was a model project and other cities and towns in Maharashtra should adopt the same.

Referring to the Mayoral elections that are round the corner, Mr Joshi indicated that Shiv Sena, BJP and NCP could join hands to keep Congress out in the Thane civic body. He said, ''If the new equation materialised, it will change the political scenario of Thane and the Assembly polls that are just two years away.

During the function, Mr Thackeray presented a cheque of Rs five lakh on behalf of Thane municipal corporation to the mother of late Major Manish Pitambare. He promised that a memorial would be constructed in the name of the late Major.

UNI