Oppn demands Shinde’s resignation over scrapped MMRDA tender process

MMRDA scraps controversial tender for Thane-Ghodbunder projects, prompting opposition calls for Eknath Shinde's removal and a probe into irregularities.

MUMBAI: Following the decision of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) to scrap the controversial tender process for the Thane-Ghodbunder-to-Bhayandar twin tunnels and elevated road projects, opposition parties targeted deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde, who has been heading the urban development department that governs MMRDA.

Pune, India - January 5, 2020: Urban development minister Eknath Shinde reviewing metro work in the city on Sunday. Urban development minister Eknath Shinde inaugurated the work by the second tunnel boring machine (TBM) for the underground metro stretch between Swargate and Shivajinagar, on Sunday. HT Photo

Pointing out that he was first to raise the issue of the controversial tender process, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Saturday demanded the removal of Shinde from the state cabinet and a probe by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) or the Enforcement Directorate (ED) into the entire episode.

In July last year, MMRDA had issued a notice, inviting tenders for two public infrastructure projects. The first was the Road Tunnel project (Gaumukh to Fountain Hotel junction on the Thane-Ghodbunder Road), which envisaged 5-kilometre-long twin tunnels of 14.6-metre diameter at a cost of ₹8,000 crore. The second project was the construction of a 9.8-km-long elevated road over Vasai Creek.

Larsen & Toubro (L&T), which was the lowest bidder, recently approached the Supreme Court saying that MMRDA had arbitrarily declared the Hyderabad-based Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Ltd (MEIL) as L1 (lowest) bidder for both the projects, despite its bid being higher than L&T’s. The Supreme Court raised questions on the process, and on Friday, MMRDA told the court that the tender has been scrapped, and new tenders would be floated for these projects.

Aaditya said that MMRDA, under Eknath Shinde, had floated a short-duration tender of only 20 days. “This was done when Shinde was the chief minister and also the urban development minister,” he said. “There was an irregularity at every step of the tender process. This was not possible unless approved by those who were handling the department. Therefore, Shinde should be removed from the position immediately.”

Aaditya said that CM Devendra Fadnavis kept claiming from time to time that he was giving Maharashtra a clean administration. “If Fadnavis is serious, there should be a probe of the tender issue by the EOW or ED,” he said. “As Shinde is involved in the matter, he should be removed from the post of deputy CM and cabinet minister to ensure a transparent probe.”

Maharashtra Congress chief Harshvardhan Sapkal alleged that the controversial tender was a ₹3,000-crore scam. “MMRDA has cancelled the tender but the matter does not end here,” he said. “This is a matter of deep-rooted corruption.” Sapkal declared that Fadnavis and Shinde had created a “corruption corridor” in the state involving agencies like MMRDA, MHADA, CIDCO and SRA, and demanded a judicial probe into all major infrastructure projects taken up during the tenure of the two Mahayuti governments.