MUMBAI: The state government on Thursday admitted that the contractor of Metro 9 had been paid more than his due, and said that it would order a probe into this and other irregularities.
The issue was raised by the BJP’s Mira Bhayandar MLA Narendra Mehta in the legislative assembly on Thursday. Alleging a nexus between the contractor, J Kumar, and MMRDA officials, Mehta said that the former had been paid over ₹120 crore as rent for his land on which the casting yard of Metro 9 in Mira Road stood. He also alleged that excessive payment had been made for the construction of the Dahisar Metro station and the construction of four other flyovers, and demanded a thorough inquiry. The government agreed to conduct a probe by an official of the level of additional chief secretary.
Detailing the issue, Mehta said that MMRDA had paid J Kumar a rent of ₹36 per square foot whereas another plot right next to it was paid ₹7 per square foot. “The market rate of the land is ₹20 crore but MMRDA had paid J Kumar ₹120 crore in five years,” he said.
Mehta charged the contractor with several other irregularities. He said that he had escalated the value of the ₹43-crore Dahisar Metro station project to ₹73 crore; had received excessive payment for the flyover under the Metro line at Gaimukh; and that both these projects had gone to him without floating a tender. He said that the cost of four bridges at Mira Road too were escalated to ₹620 crore from ₹270 crore.
Pointing out that the Dahisar-Mira Bhayandar Metro was expected to be completed in 2023, the MLA said that J Kumar had not been fined for the three-year delay. He demanded the recovery of the excessive payment made in all the contracts to J Kumar, a probe and action against the MMRDA officials responsible.
Sanjay Kelkar, the presiding officer and the BJP’s Thane MLA, during the debate instructed that strict action be taken against the contractor. He said there were a number of complaints against him for his projects in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. “Taking this seriously, a time-bound inquiry has to be conducted,” he said.
Madhuri Misal, the minister of state for urban development, admitted that excessive payment had been made to the contractor. “While renting the land, the government agencies consider the rent value to be recovered in 20 years,” she said. “It is true that MMRDA has paid the contractor more.” Responding to concerns over the escalation in the cost of bridges, Misal said that the executing agency had been paid an additional 10.30 per cent, which was within the permissible payment limit of up to 20 per cent. She added that there was no need to float a fresh tender because the original tender had provisions allowing cost escalation for extended work within the same project.
The minister said that the delay to the Metro project was due to the time taken for the shifting of utilities, including electricity wires, and toll nakas. “The irregularities in the rent paid for the casting yard and alleged cost escalations in other projects will be probed and the excessive payment will be recovered,” she assured. “Action against MMRDA officials will be initiated if irregularities are found.”
