PM may launch infra projects in Mumbai on January 19

Prime Minister Narendra Modi might launch the remaining stretches of the Metro line 2A and Metro 7 that are ready during his visit. Pic/ANI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit the city on January 19 to inaugurate infrastructure projects and make some announcements ahead of the civic polls. The event will officially launch the campaign, though the scheduling of the polls depends on the decision to be given by the Supreme Court. It is learnt that the remaining stretches of the Metro line 2A and Metro 7 are ready for launch. The first legs were thrown open by the erstwhile MVA government in April 2022.

Navi Mumbai metro too?

Another metro project ready to be commissioned is in Navi Mumbai. The PM may launch this line as well. However, the PMO hadn't finalised the date till this report went to print. Modi may also lay foundation of a cancer hospital to be set up in Thane, the CM's Assembly constituency.

Other than the metro, the BJP-Shinde Sena government has begun Mumbai's beautification project with an eye on the civic elections. The drive is being publicised on a large scale with PM Modi's branding. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who has been projected as the brain behind the beautification initiative, and Dy CM Devendra Fadnavis, share the branding space with the PM. Work on several points is being carried out simultaneously across the state capital. Many such works are expected to be inaugurated by the PM.

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PM Modi visited Nagpur last month to throw open the Samriddhi Mahamarg's first leg between the second capital and Shirdi, and several other infrastructure projects. If he comes to Mumbai later this month, it will be the PM's first visit after the BJP, in association with a Shiv Sena splinter group, toppled the Uddhav Thackeray government in June last year.

Informants said that CM Shinde and Fadnavis were likely to cut their Davos tour short if the PMO confirms the visit. The state duo is scheduled to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos between January 15 and 19 and invite investors to set up their projects in Maharashtra.

Civic poll campaign

If things fall into place, the BJP is prepared to hold the PM's political rally in the city, said sources. The party's main agenda is to unseat Thackeray's Sena which has been in power in the local body for over 25 years. The BJP had fallen two short of the unified Sena's total seat tally in 2017. The Sena break-up and subsequent participation of a rebel group in the alliance government has made the city's electoral pitch unpredictable. Delayed by a year, the election schedule depends on the outcome of the cases pending before the SC.

The restructuring of wards and restoring the number of elected representatives to the previous strength, have been challenged among other things. The Supreme Court on Tuesday said that it will commence hearing on February 14 the pleas related to the Maharashtra political crisis triggered by the Shiv Sena's division.