18 March,2024 07:00 AM IST | Mumbai | A Correspondent
The road work will then start only after the monsoon. File pic
Despite several assurances, it is clear now that the concreting of roads in south Mumbai cannot start before the monsoon. The BMC invited tenders for the third time as it didn't get a response to the second tender invited in February. The contractor who was selected last year, could not begin work on time.
The BMC invited a tender in December 2022 worth Rs 6,080 crore excluding 18 per cent GST to concrete 397 km of city roads. Of this, road works of approximately Rs 1,230 crore were in south Mumbai and the BMC awarded a contract for it in February 2023. However, the work was not started despite several reminders from the BMC. The BMC cancelled the work order and invited the tenders once again on February 1 for the same work at the estimated cost of Rs 1,365 crore. "But as the corporation hasn't received a response, it has invited the tender for the third time. The date for submitting tender documents is April 5, 2024," said an official from the BMC.
Even if the BMC receives a response this time, the process for issuing work orders will take another month and a half. The road works cannot start after May end due to the monsoon. Work will then start only after the monsoon.
Municipal Commissioner I S Chahal had assured the high court in September 2022 that the BMC would concrete all roads within two-and-a-half years. The concreting of roads in the western and eastern suburbs is on but at a very slow pace with only 20 per cent of them completed in one year. But despite the slow speed, the BMC floated another tender for the remaining 400 km, at Rs 6,250 crore.
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The city works were awarded to the contractor 'Roadway Solutions India Infra Limited' in Feb 2023.
Despite repeated notices, the contractor failed to initiate the work.
On November 9, 2023, the commissioner approved the cancellation of the contract.
The contractor appealed the contract cancellation in the high court.
In December 2023, the road department issued tenders for the pending work.
The court intervened, staying the tender process and instructing the BMC to hear the contractor's side.
Following the hearing, the corporation imposed a fine of R64 crore on the contractor.
The high court upheld the decision of the civic body, refusing to intervene.
In February 2024, the BMC issued tenders for the second time.
