Mumbai: Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) plans to award station finishing work worth over Rs 560 crore for 14 stations on Metro Line 2B— from D N Nagar to Chembur—through a variation order, bypassing the standard tendering process.
The decision was made during a meeting on Jan 28 to review the progress of Metro Line 2B, between D N Nagar and Mandale via the Bandra-Kurla Complex.
The proposal is likely to be presented before MMRDA’s executive committee, chaired by chief secretary of Maharashtra Sujata Saunik, for final approval.
Sources indicate that this move could lead to financial losses for MMRDA. The plan involves assigning the finishing work to existing civil contractors, including firms responsible for viaduct construction. The key beneficiaries of this decision are expected to be J Kumar Infraprojects and NCC, the companies currently handling civil works on Metro 2B.
NCC was awarded part design and construction of elevated viaduct stations such as MTNL Metro, Kurla East, Eastern Express Highway, and Chembur. J Kumar Infraprojects was awarded the contract for the package, which encompasses the construction of a 12.8km stretch that includes elevated viaducts and 10 stations at locations such as ESIC Nagar, Prem Nagar, Indra Nagar, and BKC. However, both these packages were awarded by excluding finishing works.
Industry insiders argue that avoiding the tendering process is unnecessary, as station civil works will take at least a year to complete—providing ample time for competitive bidding. The estimated cost of station finishing is Rs 40 crore per station, bringing the total project cost to over Rs 560 crore.
Justifying its decision, MMRDA stated the traditional tendering process—including publishing the tender, evaluation and awarding contracts —would take about 60 days. Additionally, the agency expressed concerns over potential coordination issues between civil contractors and finishing contractors, which could lead to project delays. To prevent such complications, MMRDA has opted to assign the finishing work as a variation to the existing civil contracts.
This reasoning was documented in the minutes of the Jan 28 meeting. An MMRDA official said, “In the past year, we diligently secured all necessary permissions, including the recent approval from the railways. To accelerate the project’s progress, we are proactively exploring all possible options. These options will be presented to the competent authority, and a decision will be taken based on merit to ensure the project’s timely execution.”