The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has announced it will re-initiate the tendering process for the Rs 13,000 crore Thane Ghodbunder–Bhayandar twin tunnel infrastructure project. Although courts upheld MMRDA’s legal position throughout, the authority stated on May 30 that the decision was made purely in the public interest to ensure greater transparency and the responsible use of taxpayer funds.
Larsen & Toubro (L&T) had challenged the tender process in the Bombay High Court on two occasions, both of which upheld the legality and technical soundness of MMRDA’s procedures. The matter later reached the Supreme Court, where L&T claimed its financial bid was Rs 3,000 crore lower than competitors. However, their bid was never opened due to disqualification. L&T had failed to submit a mandatory affidavit confirming that none of its bridges had collapsed within two years of completion.
Supreme Court Justice B.R. Gavai rejected L&T’s appeal, reinforcing the High Court’s judgement. Despite this, MMRDA, represented by Senior Counsel Mukul Rohatgi and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, informed the court it would cancel both tenders and re-tender the project to uphold transparency and fairness.
MMRDA is also considering reducing the base cost of the project by Rs 3,000 crore to improve financial efficiency and public value.
The proposed 11 km twin tunnel, set to run beneath the Sanjay Gandhi National Park and Yeoor Hills, is expected to cut travel time between Thane and Borivali by up to an hour. The tunnel will consist of two lanes in each direction and an emergency lane.
This critical project is expected to ease congestion along the busy Thane-Ghodbunder corridor, reducing pollution, saving fuel, and significantly improving east-west connectivity across Mumbai.
Source: The Free Press Journal
