AAP demands Eastern Freeway should be named after Ambedkar

While Shiv Sena and MNS have demanded in the past that the Eastern Freeway in the city be named after the late Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray, Aam Admi Party today demanded it be named after Dr B R Ambedkar.

As the country would be celebrating Ambedkar’s 125^th birth anniversary tomorrow, AAP leaders here said it would be a fine tribute to the architect of the Indian Constitution.

The 4-lane and 16.8 km long Eastern Freeway connects the Fort area in South Mumbai with the Eastern Express Highway at Ghatkopar. Shiv Sena and its splinter offshoot MNS had demanded it be named after Thackeray when it was opened.

“We are celebrating the 125^th birth anniversary of our beloved leader and creator of our Constitution. So now the best-ever opportunity has arrived to name the Eastern Freeway after Ambedkar,” said Ashutosh Sengar, in-charge of AAP’s Maharashtra unit.

“We are sending out letters demanding this to the Chief Minister, BMC and (planning body) MMRDA as well,” he said. Satish Jain, another AAP leader, said some AAP volunteers who study at the IIT Bombay had devised an android application which can weed out the loopholes in the draft development plan of the civic body, published last year.

The app, through its accurate mapping, will help the civic authorities draft a plan as per the UN guidelines about open spaces, recreational areas, footpaths, etc.

“Our ‘Delhi Dialogue’ in the national capital has been a big hit. We want to follow the same model in Mumbai and this QIGS software-based app will definitely help not only us but also the BMC,” Jain said.