ULHASNAGAR: As campaigning picked up pace for the Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation (UMC) elections, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday addressed a major public rally in the city, delivering a strong message on law and order, stalled development, and long-pending civic issues.Speaking at the election rally, Fadnavis adopted a firm tone, warning against any return of criminal dominance in Ulhasnagar. Without naming anyone directly, he took an apparent dig at Shiv Sena’s local alliance partner, Team Omie Kalani, which has a controversial past. “No one should even think of bringing back gundaraj to Ulhasnagar. We will not allow it. Only the rule of law will prevail here,” the Chief Minister asserted, adding that he knows how to deal strictly with those who attempt to disturb law and order.Highlighting Ulhasnagar’s developmental lag, Fadnavis said the city, despite reflecting India’s social and cultural diversity, has failed to achieve the growth it deserved over the last three decades. “Ulhasnagar became a Municipal Corporation in 1996, but in the last 30 years, it has not progressed like other cities. We all know the reasons—the governments and municipal administrations of that time,” he said.Calling his government an agent of transformation, Fadnavis urged voters to give the BJP an opportunity to bring change. “Our government stands for transformation. Give us one chance, and we will transform Ulhasnagar,” he declared.The Chief Minister also spoke about integrating Ulhasnagar into the broader development of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. He pointed out that projects worth ₹4.5 lakh crore have been implemented across the MMR through MMRDA and assured that Ulhasnagar would now be brought into the mainstream of this large-scale development.Announcing major infrastructure initiatives, Fadnavis said the proposed metro corridor from Kalyan to Ambernath would pass through Ulhasnagar, providing long-awaited metro connectivity to the city.Addressing a long-standing civic concern, he spoke about the large number of old and unauthorised buildings in Ulhasnagar. “Several attempts were made in the past to legalise these structures, but they failed. We will bring a new policy to legalise old unauthorised constructions so that people can finally get ownership rights to their homes, while ensuring that no new illegal constructions come up,” he said.He further assured residents that a new Development Plan (DP) would be prepared to upgrade the city’s poor road infrastructure. “Our goal is to build an advanced Ulhasnagar,” the Chief Minister concluded.With strong assurances on law and order and ambitious promises on infrastructure and housing, Fadnavis’ Ulhasnagar rally has given fresh momentum to the municipal election campaign, setting the stage for a closely watched political contest in the city.
