CIDCO refuses to open Kharghar skywalk, which is ready since August, to public till CM inaugurates it. But generates an electricity bill of Rs 55,000
The Kharghar skywalk was complete in August this year, but three months on, the City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra Ltd (CIDCO) has failed to open it to the public.
To add to taxpayer’s woes, it has been noticed that CIDCO has installed 410 tube lights across the flyover, which fetched a bill of Rs 55,500 last month.
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An adamant CIDCO plans to open the skywalk only after the Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan inaugurates it, but it has been unable to fulfill this wish.
Kharghar residents are protesting this wastage. Sunil Sawardekar, a social worker from Kharghar, said, “Commuters have to cross the Sion-Panvel highway as the skywalk is shut.
Now, over 400 tube lights are being kept on for over 12 hours at night. On one hand, commuters’ lives are in danger and on the other, taxpayers’ money is being used to pay hefty bills .”
A senior CIDCO official claimed that the lights are kept on all night in order to keep anti-social activities in check. “There could be presence of anti-social elements, if we do not keep tube-lights on at night. Our seniors have instructed us to keep the tube lights on throughout the night,” said a CIDCO official, on condition of anonymity.
“If CIDCO stations two-three security guards at the entry and exit points of the skywalk, no one can enter it,” said Sawardekar.
Mohan Ninawe, public relations officer of CIDCO promised to look into the matter. “The tube lights may be on as the testing work at Kharghar is underway. However, I will get the information why all tube lights are being used,” Ninawe.u00a0
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