SoBo residents intervene to vacate HC stay on BMC’s road tenders

Residents of South Mumbai have filed an intervention application in a legal dispute between the BMC and a road contractor over delays in a road-concretisation project. The residents fear that the BMC's road tender will face the same fate as a previous street furniture tender, and have filed an application challenging the court's stay on the tender process. They are concerned about the condition of the roads before the monsoon season and want the BMC to complete the concretisation works promptly.

MUMBAI: South Mumbai residents on Thursday filed an intervention application in a legal tussle between the BMC and a road contractor over the latter’s termination for alleged delays in a road-concretisation project.

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After the BMC sacked the contractor for delay, he moved the Bombay high court last month. A hearing was scheduled for January and the HC restrained the civic body from issuing fresh tenders for the concretisation of 212 roads in the island city till the court case was decided. This has agitated SoBo residents, who fear that the BMC’s road tender will meet the same fate as a street furniture one did in 2019.

The residents’ intervention application was filed by their former corporator, advocate Makarand Narwekar. “A contractor got a stay on a street furniture tender in 2019, and thanks to this, we cannot even put out dustbins on the streets of Colaba-Cuffe Parade, let alone street furniture,” he said. “We are worried that our roads will meet the same fate. When the monsoon arrives, work on road concretisation will be further delayed by a year. We have filed an intervention application challenging the stay, and have got a senior counsel to appear for us.” Narwekar alleged that the BMC was tacitly supporting the contractor.

Ironically, Narwekar was the one who wrote multiple letters to the BMC, requesting action against the contractor’s alleged refusal to carry out road works in South Mumbai. Following his letters, the BMC was compelled to act against the contractor. It imposed a penalty of ₹50 crore on him and terminated the contract.

Referring to the high court’s observation that concretisation of roads in the city was not a matter of emergency, Narwekar said that it had created anxiety among citizens about whether the concretisation works would be completed before the monsoon. “I have received multiple complaints from residents expressing fears about the pathetic condition of roads in the city,” he said. “Due to the contractor’s audacious refusal to commence the work, we have suffered for almost a year. Now, the citizens want the BMC to complete the concretisation works on a war footing before the monsoon.”

Narwekar added that citizens paying the price for a legal battle between the BMC and the contractor was unjust. “Citizens are entitled to get better civic amenities and services,” he said. “Why should tax-payers suffer due to the action and inaction of the civic body and contractor? I will urge the HC to allow the BMC to carry out the tendering process so that it can immediately carry out the road works.”