Mumbai: NCP Mumbai president Nawab Malik on Sunday stated the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) Commissioner has assured him to open Chunabhatti-BKC flyover for the public within a week.
Heavy police force was deployed at the Chunabhatti-BKC flyover after Malik announced to inaugurate the flyover on Sunday. The NCP alleged that the BJP-Shiv Sena government did not inaugurate the flyover earlier, despite the flyover was ready before the election.
“Today we had announced that we will inaugurate but the MMRDA commissioner has said some of the work is still pending. He has stated the pending work will be completed within a week and they will open the flyover for the public,” said Malik.
“Our intention is to reduce the traffic in this area and give relief to the people of Mumbai city. We don’t want to cause any problem to the people of Mumbai and we don’t want to create any trouble for the Mumbai police as well. We want to solve the issue,” he added.
Malik asserted if the flyover is not opened in the next few days, then NCP will stage a bigger protest.
“Without making an announcement, we will bring cranes, remove the pillars and open the flyover if the flyover is not opened in the next few days,” he added.
In the morning, Malik tried to forcibly inaugurate the Chunabhatti-BKC flyover in the city alleging MMRDA officials are deliberately not throwing open the road link to suit the schedule of chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.
The NCP appeared to have taken aggressive stand on public issues. Malik and thousands of NCP workers assembled in Everard Nagar area in Chunabhatti. They were stopped by police ahead of the Priyadarshini bridge located nearby the new flyover.
He leader then climbed an earth-mover brought along by the workers to demolish the temporary prohibitory wall at the newly-built flyover.
Meanwhile, officials of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) also climbed another earth-mover and requested the NCP leader to withdraw the protest.
Earlier on Sunday, a notice was served to several NCP leaders and workers under section 149 of CrPC (Police to prevent cognizable offences) after NCP Mumbai president Nawab Malik said he will open the Chunabhatti-BKC flyover, on Sunday.
“Nawab Malik will lead the protest of NCP for forcefully inaugurating the flyover,” Deepak Pagare, senior police inspector wrote in the letter.
