Activists protest against alleged preferential awarding of major BMC contracts to a single contractor in Mumbai | File Photo
Mumbai: Civic activists have alleged disproportionate allocation of civic tenders worth Rs 22,000 crores including the Madh-Versova Flyover project, to a single contractor. They have demanded a high-level independent audit of all projects awarded to the contractor.
Activists have highlighted an emerging pattern in the allocation of large infrastructure contracts by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation that appears to be disproportionately favouring a single private contractor.
In a letter to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and BMC chief Bhushan Gagrani, Watchdog Foundation alleged that this raises questions of transparency and competitiveness as it involves significant financial implications for the public exchequer.
The Watchdog Foundation raised concerns regarding the contractor being awarded contracts of the Rs 3,246 crore Madh-Versova flyover, Rs 3,577.51 crore tunnel from Yewai Master Balancing Reservoir to Kasheli in Bhiwandi, Rs 3,213 crore Tertiary Treated Water Conveyance Tunnel from the wastewater treatment facility from Ghatkopar to Bhandup, and Rs 992.32 crore project to replace pipelines from Tansa and Vaitarna lakes.
Apart from this, the contractor is also said to have Rs 11,333 crore Versova Bandra Sea link project under its control. The activists raised concerns regarding its cost, which has shot up by 60% from Rs 6,993 crore in 2019. The project was originally awarded to a group of two companies after which one of them sold the shares to the said contractor.
They have also raised concerns regarding the work order issued by BMC in September 2024 for the construction of a 2km cable-stayed flyover between Madh and Versova. They have highlighted that the project cost escalated to from Rs 2,029 crores to Rs 3,246 crores in six months, marking 60% escalation, while the initial tender was worth Rs 1,800 crore. It highlighted that the Madh-Versova bridge will be built for Rs 1,620 crore per km, alleging it to be highly inflated.
The activists have also compared the Madh-Versova Flyover project with other bridge infrastructure projects across the country to illustrate the cost anomalies.
They highlighted that Tamil Nadu’s 2.05km-long Pamban railway sea bridge was built at a cost of Rs 535 crore, the 5km long Vasai-Bhayander Creek Bridge by MMRDA was budgeted at Rs 1,501 crore and the 3.1km long Thane Creek Bridge III was built for Rs 775.58 crore.
The activists have demanded a high-level independent audit of all BMC projects awarded to the contractor since 2023 and evaluate cost justifications and escalation clauses invoked in the Madh-Versova Flyover contract.
