Fraud allegations emerge in Malabar Hill Reservoir Reconstruction project

Controversy surrounds Malabar Hill Reservoir project as BMC accused of fraudulent practices. Committee recommends demolition over retrofitting.

Mumbai: A cloud of controversy hangs over the Malabar Hill Reservoir Reconstruction project as members of the concerned group accuse the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) of fraudulent practices in the constitution of a committee tasked with evaluating the reservoir’s condition. The committee had recommended the demolition and reconstruction of the 135-year-old reservoir instead of its retrofitting.

HT Image

According to residents, it was the responsibility of BMC to adhere to the conditions outlined in the contract for executing the project. In a press conference led by Dr Nilesh Baxi at the Press Club on Tuesday, Ravi Mandrekar, a former IITian, and a resident, alleged the BMC sought to manipulate the process by involving a contractor, potentially inflating the contract value by an additional ₹700 crore for the construction of a 91 ML tank, without inviting tenders.

“Furthermore, BMC instructed the contractor to seek opinions from three external consultants regarding the safety of executing the contract in a phased manner, contrary to the contract drawings. This move raises questions about BMC’s trust in its own consultants, including Dr Alok Goyal of IIT-Bombay and M/s Pednekar & Associates, who had dedicated three years to designing and proof-checking the project,” Mandrekar pointed out.

He further added, “The involvement of the contractor in seeking external opinions without the explicit consent of the highest authority within the BMC raises suspicions of collusion and potential irregularities in the project’s execution.”

It is alleged that none of the consultants visited the project site or inspected the tank from the inside to assess its physical condition. Moreover, they purportedly failed to conduct structural analyses to evaluate construction and seismic loads, instead offered opinions based on incomplete information.

“According to recent revelations, the contractor allegedly approached three consultants—Prof. Dr. Jangid from IIT, Prof Bambole from VJTI, and Dr Shashank Mehendale—for their opinions on the project. However, concerns have been raised regarding the thoroughness of the consultants’ assessments,” the presentation stated.