BJP neta threatens to move Lokayukta if CC roads contract cost is hiked | Mumbai News – Times of India
Mumbai: Former BJP corporator Makarand Narwekar has said he will move Lokayukta if BMC goes ahead and awards a contract for cement concrete (CC) roads in south Mumbai at Rs 150 crore higher than the project estimate.
In a letter to BMC commissioner Bhushan Gagrani, Narwekar said the additional sum would be a bonanza for the contractor, NCC Ltd, adding that it would be perceived as corruption ahead of the assembly elections.He pointed out that no other CC roads contract awarded across the city saw a cost escalation.
“If BMC is hell-bent on awarding the contract with above-estimate rates, then I will be compelled to approach Lokayukta to seek justice for the citizens of south Mumbai. Due to non-construction of CC roads, the citizens of south Mumbai have been enduring difficulties for over one-and-a-half years. I urge the civic body not to test their patience further,” Narwekar wrote.
CC roads projects in the city were inaugurated by the PM 18 months ago, but BMC is yet to begin work in south Mumbai. It finalised NCC Ltd after terminating Roadways Solution Infra India Ltd’s (RSIIL) Rs 1,600-crore contract in Jan 2024, but the company, which had emerged as the lowest bidder, had quoted 9% more than the estimate.
Narwekar said since he flagged the issue, he has learnt that BMC initiated negotiations with the company, but NCC Ltd appears to have refused to accept the original cost estimate.
Additional municipal commissioner (projects) Abhijit Bangar had earlier said BMC was negotiating with the bidder. “Nine percent above the estimate is on the higher side. We are negotiating with the bidder. We should be able to finalise the process soon,” he said.
We also published the following articles recently
The BMC proposed a Rs 189 crore increase in a road contract awarded to RPS Infraprojects, previously blacklisted. The proposal faced objections and was put on hold. Additional roads were added, but the increase was not justified as there was no emergency. A separate tender will address the additional work.
In a notable change from the Rs 6,080-crore cement concrete road contracts of 2023, BMC relaxed tender conditions in the second phase. This enabled previously ineligible companies, including RPS Infraprojects, blacklisted in 2016, to secure significant projects. The requirement for experience in similar roadworks was lowered to promote fair competition.
BJP’s Ashish Shelar called for scrapping the Rs 1,566 crore contract awarded to RPS Infraprojects, citing its prior blacklisting for fraud. Despite being blacklisted for seven years, later reduced to three, the firm was awarded a large road contract. Shiv Sena’s Aaditya Thackeray promised to cancel such contracts if MVA regains power. BMC’s commissioner will investigate the matter.
