Mumbai: Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray means business and he got down to it right away on Day 1. In the clear light of the day, he addressed a cabinet meeting at which he announced the staying of the Aarey carshed project.
In a late-night stealth operation on October 4, over 2,000 trees were felled, which was inappropriate and the matter needed to be re-examined, Thackeray pointed out. The trees, it will be recalled, were felled in an area which is adjacent to the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, leading to public outcry.
The Shiv Sena, then a junior partner in the Devendra Fadnavis government, had opposed the felling of trees. "I have stayed Aarey carshed work. I will review the entire thing...I will not allow a culture where trees are cut at night," Thackeray told reporters.
"Not a single tree leaf will be cut till further orders," he added, while clarifying that metro work itself had not been stayed. Further, a committee of experts will try to find an alternative space for the carshed, he said. Reacting to Thackeray's announcement, his predecessor Devendra Fadnavis said it was "unfortunate that the State Government had stayed the carshed work in spite of court orders".
"This shows the State Government is not serious about Mumbai Infrastructure projects! And the ultimate sufferer is common Mumbaikar only!" Fadnavis tweeted this with hashtag "savemetrosaveMumbai".
Earlier on Friday, hundreds of employees had flanked the gates and the lobby of the main building, to catch a glimpse of the new CM. At Mantralaya, he was welcomed by a delegation led by Chief Secretary Ajoy Mehta. As the crowd cheered, 'Navin CM aale aahet', they were rewarded with a wave from the otherwise reticent Thackeray, who was clearly in a good mood on Friday.
He formally set foot in the CM's office around 2pm. There was a brand new nameplate on the door of the office, which bore the legend, 'Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray'.
Since the early hours of Friday, there had been tight security around Mantralaya and its adjoining areas. Before heading towards the seat of the government, the CM's convoy stopped at Hutatma Chowk memorial park, where he paid floral tribute to the martyrs. Clad in a saffron kurta, Thackeray was accompanied by his son Aaditya, who is the new MLA from Worli.
Following the meeting, Thackeray had a brief interaction with the media at the press room of the state secretariat, in which he said he had unexpectedly become chief minister but did not want to run away from the responsibility.
He took a dig at Fadnavis over the latter's "I will come again (as chief minister)" refrain during the poll campaign, saying, "I did not announce that I would become chief minister."
Thackeray also noted that he was the first CM of Maharashtra who was born in Mumbai and added, he was working on plans to ensure development of the city.
His government would be accountable for every paisa of tax-payers, the chief minister said.
Asked about the saffron kurta he was wearing, Thackeray said, cryptically, that it was his favourite colour "which cannot be washed in any laundry".
In the run-up to the assembly election, on the day Aaditya Thackeray's candidature from the Worli assembly constituency had been announced, Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut had stated, Suryayaan would land on the sixth floor of the Mantralaya, likening it to 'Chandrayaan' mission. Now, with Thackeray's taking charge, Raut's claim has been validated.
