Mumbai: Residents of Panju island between Vasai and Naigaon have forced the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) to cancel a ₹3.24 crore road-strengthening tender after opposing what they called an unnecessary project on a road already in good condition.
Villagers uncovered what they alleged was a case of wasteful expenditure after the MMB awarded a ₹3.24 crore contract to strengthen the island’s only two-km road, despite it being largely intact. The protest by villagers and a formal complaint over suspected irregularities led the MMB to scale down the plan. Instead of rebuilding the entire two-km road, the board will now carry out repairs only where needed, bringing the cost to less than half.
Panju, a 300-acre island in Vasai creek with around 600 houses and a population of 3,500, depends on a single road connecting it to the railway tracks. Residents walk nearly 20 minutes along a narrow path beside the railway bridge to reach Naigaon station, while boats connect them to Vasai.
Villagers questioned why crores were being spent on a road that did not require reconstruction. The contract for the proposed reconstruction had already been awarded to a Dombivli-based contractor before objections were raised.
{{/usCountry}}Villagers questioned why crores were being spent on a road that did not require reconstruction. The contract for the proposed reconstruction had already been awarded to a Dombivli-based contractor before objections were raised.
{{/usCountry}}Former Sarpanch Ashish Bhoir argued that spending crores on a road that was already in good condition was unnecessary and flagged possible corruption. He also lodged a formal complaint regarding the matter and warned of a protest.
Subsequently, the MMB adopted a conciliatory stance. M Shewale, the Deputy Engineer at the Maharashtra Maritime Board, stated that instead of reconstructing the entire road, only damaged stretches will now be repaired. As a result, a project originally pegged at ₹3 crores will now cost less than half the original estimate.
Villagers also highlighted stalled development plans. In 2016, the island was shortlisted for a ₹90-crore tourism project, including a proposed aquarium, but nothing materialised. A ₹1,600-crore MMRDA road linking Bhayander and Vasai via Panju was also shelved, with the new coastal road alignment now bypassing the island.
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