Mandale depot works for Mumbai Metro-2B awarded at 14% higher cost

After ousting two contractors over delayed works, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has awarded the Mandale depot works for Metro-2B to a new contractor at ₹530.32 crore, which is 14% higher than the estimated cost of ₹464.75 crores.

After ousting two contractors over delayed works, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has awarded the Mandale depot works for Metro-2B to a new contractor at ₹530.32 crore, which is 14% higher than the estimated cost of ₹464.75 crores.

MMRDA is looking at operationalising Metro-2B by 2022. (HT File Photo)

The Mandale depot work for Metro-2B (DN Nagar-Mandale) was earlier awarded to a firm at ₹390.43 crore in January 2018. However, according to MMRDA, even 24 months of after awarding the work, only 7% of the overall work was completed. According to the minutes of the meeting of the recently-held executive committee meeting of MMRDA, “The duration of completing the works was around 42 months from the date of awarding the contract.”

Earlier in January this year, MMRDA terminated the contract, following which new bids were invited.

MMRDA had also terminated the contract of another firm for delaying the works along Metro-7 (Dahisar E-Andheri E). HT had earlier reported that MMRDA had awarded the pending works along Metro-7 at a higher cost than estimated.

While the authority received bids from six contractors for Mandale depot, three were finalised, of which the lowest was quoted by Ahluwalia Contracts Pvt Ltd. Among the various reasons for quoting higher than the estimated costs, the bidder had also stated that owing to the Covid-19 pandemic and the ensuing lockdown, there is an increase in cost of labour too.

While Metro-7 is expected to be made operational by May 2021, MMRDA is looking at operationalising Metro-2B by 2022.