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Pune: The extended underground Shivajinagar Court to Swargate Metro route was supposed to be inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi on Thursday (September 26). However, his visit to the city was cancelled.

MahaMetro clarified that the route will not be made operational due to cancellation of its inauguration. Now, the City Unit of Congress has warned of agitation over the issue.

City Unit President Arvind Shinde said, “If the underground Shivajinagar-Swargate route is not thrown open to public on Friday, we will officially inaugurate it at the hands of a senior citizen on Friday. If the Metro service is not started on the route, we will agitate in the chamber of Metro officials.”

Shinde was addressing a press meet. MLA Ravindra Dhangekar, Adv Abhay Chhajed, former corporator Ajit Darekar, Rafiq Shaikh, former PMC Education Board president Sangeeta Tiwari and other leaders were present. 

Dhangekar said, “PM Modi is inaugurating every stage of Pune Metro. Thus, crores of rupees are wasted. Though his visit has been cancelled, crores of rupees have already been spent on it. He could have inaugurated it online from his office. He has done it earlier. Keeping politics aside, the Shivajinagar-Swargate route should be made operative by getting it inaugurated by a senior citizen. Public money should not be wasted by repeating the inauguration.

“Party politics over the Metro route inauguration, which is condemnable, should stop. The Congress prepared the DPR of the Pune Metro project. Its work was also started by the party. However, the party never advertised it. Therefore, the BJP should stop wasting money on such advertisements. Instead of calling the Prime Minister to inaugurate at every stage, they should ask the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister and Guardian Minister to do the honours.”

Posers to PM Modi

Ravindra Dhangkar has asked 10 questions to PM Modi. “Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s statue collapsed due to corruption in its construction. Has the problem been solved by merely apologising for the incident? Around 21 women are raped daily in the State. Is the ‘Ladki Bahin’ safe in Maharashtra? The State tops in crime against children with 20,762 cases. Your government is ignoring cases such as the Badlapur sexual abuse. What about children’s safety in Maharashtra? Over 20,000 farmers committed suicide in the past decade. Why can’t your government resolve this issue? The Kalyani Nagar and Bawankule’s son hit-and-run cases showed that you shielded your friends. Scams in Talathi recruitment and NEET exams is the tip of the iceberg. How many scams are going to surface in your tenure? Maharashtra tops the chart of suicides by youths due to unemployment. Polls for 27 municipal corporations have not been held in the State for the first time in its history. Has your government decided to strangle democracy by not holding the civic elections?”