Congress alleges corruption in MTHL project, MMRDA denies structural defects

MUMBAI: Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole has alleged corruption in the construction of the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL), claiming that the road surface built for this project has developed crack.. However, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) clarified that these were minor cracks on the approach road and there were no structural defects.
Patole, who visited the site, said that the road on the Navi Mumbai side had sunk by one and a half feet for a stretch of almost 1 km. He stated, "The Mahayuti government has surpassed all boundaries of corruption. While the previous BJP government in Karnataka was notorious for taking a 40 percent commission, the Mahayuti government is demanding a staggering 100 percent commission."
"This is not development but blatant corruption, with the government enriching itself at the expense of people's lives. Naming the project after former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and then engaging in corruption is truly unfortunate," he added.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi should have meticulously inspected the project before inaugurating it. However, Patole alleged that Narendra Modi is the mastermind behind corruption in the country, intimidating all corrupt individuals with threats of ED and CBI investigations to coerce them into joining the BJP and appointing them as ministers.
MMRDA, which is the executing agency for the project, clarified, “These cracks are not on the bridge itself but on the approach road connecting MTHL from Ulwe towards Mumbai.”
MMRDA further said that during an inspection by the Operation and Maintenance team on June 20, 2024, minor cracks were found on the road surface near the edges at three locations on Ramp 5 (the ramp towards Mumbai).
MMRDA said that these cracks are not due to any structural defects. They are minor longitudinal cracks in the asphalt pavement. The Package 4 contractor, M/s Strabag, has already commenced repair work, which will be completed within 24 hours.