India

Won’t give an inch in south Mumbai for Navy housing: Nitin Gadkari

Won't give an inch in south Mumbai for Navy housing: Nitin Gadkari

TIL Desk/National/Mumbai/ Union minister Nitin Gadkari has said ‘not an inch’ of land would be given for Navy housing in South Mumbai, wondering why all their personnel in the metropolis want to stay in this posh area when they should be at Pakistan border.

Gadkari, who is the minister for Road Transport and Highways, Shipping and Water Resources, made the remark while voicing his disappointment at the Navy’s objection to a floating jetty plan at Malabar Hill in South Mumbai, where a floating hotel and seaplane service are planned. The remark was made at a public event in Mumbai in the presence of Western Naval Command chief Vice Admiral Girish Luthra.

“Actually, Navy is needed at the borders from where terrorists sneak in. Why does everyone (in the Navy) want to stay in South Mumbai? They (Navy) had come to me, asking for a plot (of land). I will not give even an inch of land. Please don’t come to me again,” Gadkari said.”Everyone wants to build quarters and flats on South Mumbai’s prime land. We do respect you (Navy), but you should go to the Pakistan border and do patrolling.”

A few important and senior officials can stay in Mumbai, Gadkari said, adding that land on the eastern seafront being jointly developed by the state-run Mumbai Port Trust and the Maharashtra government, would be utilised only for the benefit of local citizens. South Mumbai is home to a sizeable presence of the Navy and houses the headquarters of the Western Naval Command, as well as the naval residential quarters at Navy Nagar in Colaba.

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