HCC asks govt for additional `648 crore as sea link cost

The state government, on Friday, said that Hindustan Construction Company (HCC) had asked for Rs648 crore as additional cost for building the Bandra-Worli sea link.

The state government, on Friday, said that Hindustan Construction Company (HCC) had asked for Rs648 crore as additional cost for building the Bandra-Worli sea link.

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The question about escalating cost of the Bandra-Worli sea link was asked in the legislative council by Shiv Sena MLC Diwakar Raote on Tuesday. “We have received a letter from HCC, who claimed Rs648 crore as additional cost due to project delays and additional work that needed to be carried out,” said Jaydutt Kshirsagar, minister in-charge of Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), in a written reply to the council.

According to Kshirsagar, the total cost of the sea link project, including construction of the approach roads is Rs1,634 crore. The cost of the main sea link, which was contracted to HCC, is Rs852 crore of which the government has paid Rs823.38 crore. Kshirsagar added that the company had asked for an additional Rs640 crore under additional overheads.

HCC had earlier this year written to the state demanding the money. In the letter, the company had claimed that it incurred Rs371 crore as additional finance cost. The company had also claimed Rs225 crore for the underutilisation of equipment and manpower put on the job and Rs22 crore for additional works. HCC officials declined to comment on the issue.