Maharashtra former CM Vilasrao Deshmukh

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government will name the Eastern Freeway after former CM and Congress leader, late Vilasrao Deshmukh .

Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar took this decision on Tuesday at a meeting with the finance, transport and other departments to see how revenue could be boosted.

Pawar said Deshmukh’s contribution towards construction of the project was huge and, hence, it was only right that it be named after him. In 2014, when the 16-km road was to be inaugurated, the NCP had written to the then CM Prithviraj Chavan demanding the road be named after Babasaheb Ambedkar. However, Prakash Ambedkar had slammed the demand, calling it a political move.

