Fadnavis assures inclusive approach to Pandharpur Corridor, welcomes end of VIP darshan
Speaking to the media after performing the Maha Puja at the Vitthal-Rukmini Temple along with his wife Amruta Fadnavis and daughter Divija on the auspicious occasion of Ashadhi Ekadashi, Fadnavis addressed concerns surrounding the ambitious project.
'The government will build the Pandharpur Corridor by earning the trust of all. Every citizen, trader, and homeowner will be rehabilitated respectfully and in a better way,' Fadnavis said. 'The district collector has already initiated discussions with local traders, religious leaders, and residents. Many doubts have been cleared, and we will continue this process with full transparency.'
Fadnavis assured that the project would not displace anyone. 'No shopkeeper, homeowner, or local resident will suffer due to this development. Business and religious sentiments will be respected,' he added.
The corridor project, inspired by the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor, aims to revamp the area around the Vitthal-Rukmini temple by widening roads, relocating shops, and improving facilities for the lakhs of devotees who visit Pandharpur. While the state views this as a major step towards modernising the pilgrimage, concerns remain among locals about potential displacement and loss of historical character.
Fadnavis also welcomed the Solapur district administration's decision to discontinue the VIP darshan system at the Vitthal temple. 'I think this is a good tradition and should be continued,' he said, noting that the move has helped reduce waiting time for general devotees by up to five hours.
Commenting on the newly introduced token-based darshan system, Fadnavis said, 'The system is new and will take time to stabilise, but we will continue it gradually.'
Maha Puja honours Warkari couple
The official Maha Puja this year was performed by Warkari couple Kailas Ugle and Kalpana Ugle from Jategaon village in Nandgaon taluka, Nashik district. They were felicitated by the chief minister and his wife. The couple also received a free year-long State Transport (ST) bus pass, presented by the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) and personally handed over by Fadnavis.
Praising the arrangements under the Nirmal Wari initiative, Fadnavis said, 'This year's Wari was not just clean, but also green and eco-friendly. The message of cleanliness given by our saints was truly visible.' He added that spiritual progress is as important as economic growth in the state's development.
'Wari should be about devotion, not agendas'
Commenting on the participation of individuals accused of being 'Urban Naxals' in the Wari procession, Fadnavis said, 'Anyone is free to join the Wari - there's no need for anyone's permission. But participation should be rooted in devotion to Lord Vitthal, not driven by personal agendas. To use the Wari for pushing an ideology or narrative is wrong.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Indian Express
31 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
Maharashtra CM Fadnavis orders probe into Shiv Sena minister Sanjay Shirsat's hotel purchase
MUMBAI: In a big blow to Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday ordered a high-level inquiry against Shinde-led Shiv Sena's minister Sanjay Shirsat and his son for buying a Rs 110-crore luxury hotel for just Rs 67 crore in Sambhaji Nagar. It was alleged that Shirsat and his son, Siddhant Shirsat, undervalued the VITS Hotel and bought it by rigging the tender process. The Opposition had raised the issue and demanded a probe. Fadnavis said that Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule had already announced the cancellation of the tender process. The CM said, 'We will ensure that a new bid for this VITS Hotel auction is opened. However, to investigate any potential violations and irregularities in the tender process, we have decided to conduct a high-level probe to uncover the truth. Transparency has to be maintained in such a process.' Shiv Sena MLC and Leader of Opposition Ambadas Danave raised the matter in the Legislative Council. Danave alleged that the firm of the Sena minister's son, which bought the VITS Hotel, was not even registered and was therefore ineligible to participate in the bidding process. Still, it participated and won the bid, and illegally, he claimed Danave said it was revealed that the Sena minister's son used fraudulent documents to show his firm was eligible to enter the tender process. 'The government officials who are involved in this illegal deal have to be punished, and action should be taken against them. We want justice, and we expect CM Fadnavis to do justice,' he said. Sanjay Shirsat tried to defend himself and his son on the floor of the House, claiming that the allegations against both of them are baseless. He said that they had already announced their withdrawal from the deal.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
Uddhav hits out at CM over ‘rudali' comment, calls him ‘perverted and mean-spirited'
Mumbai: Hitting back at CM Devendra Fadnavis for his comment that the Thackeray cousins' 'reunion' rally was a "rudali" (professional women mourners) act and not a "victory celebration", Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray said that the "original BJP " was "dead" and that "those who feel sad about the happy moments of Marathi people are very perverted and mean-spirited." Uddhav also clarified that he was not against any language but was against Hindi compulsion or the imposition of any language. "If they want to have three languages, they must tell us what third language will be taught in Uttar Pradesh," he said. "I can understand their (BJP) mentality because the original BJP is dead. It was murdered by these people. 'Rudali' is also a Hindi word. They have taken help from our party, Congress, NCP, and parties across the country to get people to express sorrow because the original BJP is dead," Uddhav said while speaking at Vidhan Bhavan. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai He also hit out at BJP minister Ashish Shelar, who compared the terrorists in Pahalgam to those assaulting non-Marathis in Mumbai. "We Shiv Sainiks are helping people without looking at caste or religion. Those who are comparing Marathi people with the terrorists of Pahalgam are the real killers of Marathi. They cannot even save Hindus; they are taking sides with those who do injustice to Marathi. If any BJP member is comparing a Marathi person who agitates for rights with the terrorists of Pahalgam, they are the killers of Marathi. So did the terrorists of Pahalgam join the BJP? They should tell us. Where did they go? Are they living in the houses of those who accused us? It is the misfortune of Maharashtra that such incompetent people are ruling in Maharashtra," he said. Uddhav also held a meeting of Sena (UBT) legislators in Vidhan Bhavan and asked them to remind assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar about the appointment of the leader of ppposition (LoP) in the assembly. The Sena (UBT) will give a reminder letter to Narwekar on Tuesday asking him to make a decision on appointing an LoP. Narwekar has said they are studying the rules and examining if the LoP's post can be given if a party has less than 10% MLAs. After the budget session, this is the second session of the new Mahayuti govt without an LoP in the assembly. Uddhav hits out at CM over 'rudali' comment, calls him 'perverted and mean-spirited' Chaitanya Marpakwar Mumbai: Hitting back at CM Devendra Fadnavis for his comment that the Thackeray cousins' 'reunion' rally was a "rudali" (professional women mourners) act and not a "victory celebration", Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray said that the "original BJP" was "dead" and that "those who feel sad about the happy moments of Marathi people are very perverted and mean-spirited." Uddhav also clarified that he was not against any language but was against Hindi compulsion or the imposition of any language. "If they want to have three languages, they must tell us what third language will be taught in Uttar Pradesh," he said. "I can understand their (BJP) mentality because the original BJP is dead. It was murdered by these people. 'Rudali' is also a Hindi word. They have taken help from our party, Congress, NCP, and parties across the country to get people to express sorrow because the original BJP is dead," Uddhav said while speaking at Vidhan Bhavan. He also hit out at BJP minister Ashish Shelar, who compared the terrorists in Pahalgam to those assaulting non-Marathis in Mumbai. "We Shiv Sainiks are helping people without looking at caste or religion. Those who are comparing Marathi people with the terrorists of Pahalgam are the real killers of Marathi. They cannot even save Hindus; they are taking sides with those who do injustice to Marathi. If any BJP member is comparing a Marathi person who agitates for rights with the terrorists of Pahalgam, they are the killers of Marathi. So did the terrorists of Pahalgam join the BJP? They should tell us. Where did they go? Are they living in the houses of those who accused us? It is the misfortune of Maharashtra that such incompetent people are ruling in Maharashtra," he said. Uddhav also held a meeting of Sena (UBT) legislators in Vidhan Bhavan and asked them to remind assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar about the appointment of the leader of ppposition (LoP) in the assembly. The Sena (UBT) will give a reminder letter to Narwekar on Tuesday asking him to make a decision on appointing an LoP. Narwekar has said they are studying the rules and examining if the LoP's post can be given if a party has less than 10% MLAs. After the budget session, this is the second session of the new Mahayuti govt without an LoP in the assembly.
Indian Express
3 hours ago
- Indian Express
Govt to hold mega recruitment drive, says CM Fadnavis
The Maharashtra government is gearing up to launch a mega recruitment drive across various departments, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis informed the state Legislative Assembly on Monday. 'This mega bharti (mega recruitment) will be initiated once a clear picture of the vacant posts emerges following a 150-day target programme assigned to all departments,' he said. Responding to a 'calling-attention notice' raised by MLA Bhimrao Keram regarding vacant posts in the Scheduled Tribes (ST) category, Fadnavis said, 'We had earlier announced the recruitment of 75,000 posts. So far, over one lakh positions have been filled. The government will not hold back when it comes to recruitment.' The CM outlined key goals under the 150-day programme — restructuring departmental frameworks, updating recruitment rules, ensuring 100% compassionate appointments, and identifying clear vacancies. Based on these, a mega recruitment will be planned, he said. Fadnavis also revealed that as many as 6,860 posts reserved for Scheduled Tribes are currently held by individuals who have not submitted valid caste certificates, even after serving for 20 years or more. 'In a humanitarian approach, the government has treated these posts as supernumerary, meaning these employees will continue in their positions but will not be eligible for promotions. After they retire, these posts will be considered vacant and can be filled as per reservation norms,' he said. Out of these, 1,343 posts have already been filled with eligible ST candidates, and the process is underway to fill the rest. The government is also working to simplify and digitise the caste verification process using blockchain-based systems, aiming to bring speed and transparency. In a related development, Fadnavis announced that the Supreme Court has lifted the stay on inheriting sanitation jobs. Recruitment for such posts will now proceed based on the recommendations of the Lad–Page Committee. 'Recruitment for ST-reserved posts in the Public Works Department will also be taken up shortly. A special secretarial task force will be constituted to expedite and streamline the caste certificate verification process,' the CM added.
