BOMBAY, 28 March 2006 — Upset, hurt and angry, India’s most celebrated playback singer Lata Mangeshkar is at loggerheads with the Democratic Front government in Maharashtra over the proposed flyover project in front of her Peddar Road residence in Bombay.
She has issued an ultimatum to the government that if the project is given the go-ahead then she would leave Bombay for good. “Scrap it or lose me,” she said.
Despite strong protests from Peddar Road residents, including Lata and her singer sister Asha Bhonsle, the minister for public works department, Anil Deshmukh announced that the government had approved the three kilometers flyover which begins from Lala Lajpat Rai College and ends at Wilson College.
“Finally the flyover project is a reality,” said Deshmukh, adding that the project would cost the government 125 million rupees and would be completed in 17 months. The minister said that approval for the flyover has yet to come from the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) and the Ministry of Forests and Environment. Once the approval comes through, work on the flyover would start, Deshmukh said.
Talking about Deshmukh’s claim, Lata said, “These people have no concern for us, and the one, who is forging ahead with the flyover plan is Deshmukh. When he meets me, he bows and touches my feet. But he’s ready to pull the ground from beneath my feet.”
The residents of the Peddar Road have been protesting against the flyover because of the pollution, noises and traffic lights along the proposed flyover, she said. Lata and Asha, have been staying in Peddar Road for the past 45 years.
When pointed out that the government may relocate them to another place, Lata shot back, “There’s absolutely no question of me and my family shifting to another place, and no question of staying at Peddar Road if the flyover project takes effect. The best thing for me would be to say goodbye to Bombay and shift to Pune or my ancestral home in Kolhapur. They want us to leave. So we shall. I foresee no other way,” Lata said.
Govt Probes Amitabh’s Claim
In an unrelated incident, officials have written letters to Uttar Pradesh government to verify the claim of filmstar Amitabh Bachchan that he was a farmer from Fathepur.
Amitabh’s lawyer had submitted original documents as demanded by the district administration of Pune, claiming that the film star was a “poor” farmer holding a piece of agricultural land located in Daulatpur village of Barabanki taluka in Fathepur district of Uttar Pradesh to prove his “farmer status.”
This move came after Amitabh had failed to substantiate his earlier claims of being a farmer.
Sources said the fresh initiative was the outcome of soured relations between Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi and the Bachchan family.
