MVA criticises slow pace and irregularities in cement road works

Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) members in the legislative council raised concerns over the alleged irregularities and slow pace of cement road construction in Mumbai. Minister Uday Samant refuted the charges but expressed willingness to investigate if the opposition provides evidence

Mumbai: Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) members in the legislative council raised concerns over the alleged irregularities and slow pace of cement road construction in Mumbai. Minister Uday Samant refuted the charges but expressed willingness to investigate if the opposition provides evidence.

Mumbai, India - May 31, 2024: Under construction road at Kakasaheb Gadgil marg, Dadar West in Mumbai, India, on Friday, May 31, 2024. (Photo by Satish Bate/ Hindustan Times) (Hindustan Times)

BJP MLC Prasad Lad on Wednesday raised the issue of alleged irregularities in the allotment of contracts for cement road construction in Mumbai. He questioned the actions taken against contractors who failed to deliver on their contracts. Minister Uday Samant responded, informing that the BMC had appointed Ms. Roadways Solutions India Infra Ltd. for the first phase of cement road contracts, but due to unsatisfactory work, the BMC cancelled the tender and seized the deposit. The hearing on this matter is ongoing, and further action will be taken as per the tribunal’s order. The initial contract for 212 roads was cancelled, and a new tender for 208 roads was awarded to NCC. Penalties of ₹64 crore were imposed on Ms. Roadways and ₹111 crore on four other companies. Samant also mentioned that Ms. Roadways has been blacklisted by the BMC.

MVA members, particularly from Shiv Sena (UBT), voiced their concerns aggressively. MLA Aaditya Thackeray had alleged a scam in the Mumbai cement road contracts since January 2023. “MLA Aaditya Thackeray exposed the scam in January 2023. Why does the government want to shield those involved? Who are these people?” questioned Anil Parab. Parab said that Prime minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the work but still 90% of the work is incomplete. He also pointed out that despite the blacklisting of Ms. Roadways by the BMC, the company received contracts elsewhere in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. “How can a blacklisted company get work from another government authority? Blacklisted companies should not receive contracts from any government or local body,” said Parab.

MLC Sunil Shinde added, “There were irregularities in the tender process, affecting road construction in Mumbai.” In response, Samant refuted these charges, stating that the BMC awarded tenders for 398 kilometres of cement roads in the first phase and 447 kilometres in the second phase, totaling around ₹14,000 crores. He emphasized that the contract of Ms. Roadways Solutions India Infra Ltd. was cancelled due to unsatisfactory work, not irregularities in the tender process. However, he assured that if members have evidence or documents, the matter will be investigated.