BMC builds road, netas jostle each other for credit

Two politicians vying for credit over the same job? We've heard that before. But when it comes to Hari Om Nagar in Mulund (East), the irony lies in the fact the neither of the two netas who are trying to garner political mileage out of the construction of a new road in the area have actually had any hand to play in the task. The road was built by the BMC.

Till even a short while back, Hari Om Nagar did not have an entrance from the Eastern Express Highway, but the newly constructed road has now given residents easy access to their area from the highway side. For the past 15 days, two boards displayed at the mouth of the road have been jostling each other for the public's attention. One of them carries the enlarged countenance of local BJP MLA Sardar Tara Singh, and the other one carries a photo of Congress MLC Charansingh Sapra.

Whodunnit: For the past 15 days, two boards displayed at the entrance u00a0of Hari Om Nagar in Mulund have been jostling each other for the public's attention. The boards displaying Congress MLC Charansingh Sapra (top) and BJP MLA Sardar Tara Singh (above) take credit for the construction of a new road in the area. Pics/Sameer Markande

Each politician takes credit for the task in the posters, which have been displayed a stone's throw away from each other. Sapra said, "I put in some effort, and so people in the area who appreciate my efforts have displayed this poster. In a series of meetings with the ward officer and the higher authorities of BMC, I was able to get the road made for them. The other poster that has been displayed is trying to gain publicity out of my efforts."

Singh said, "I have just displayed a poster welcoming the residents of Hari Om Nagar to the road constructed by the BMC. It falls in my constituency so I can welcome people to the new road which the BMC has constructed for my people."

This is something that we have been seeing for a long time. The road was constructed by the BMC. Even if they have done something, why put up such boards? On our way back home, the first thing that we see is their faces, and quotes in which they boast about the initiative they have taken for us. - Padmaja Jane, resident

As per our knowledge, this road was to come up here and this was part of the BMC's plan for development of the area. Why then do politicians need to take credit? The interesting thing is, they have put up the posters so close to each other that it becomes fairly obvious that
this is just to garner publicity. - Ashok Bhoir, resident