Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday directed government agencies to refrain from awarding new contracts to firms with a history of project delays, underscoring the importance of timely execution of infrastructure works across the state.
Speaking at an Infrastructure War Room review meeting held at the Sahyadri State Guest House in Mumbai, Fadnavis assessed the progress of several ongoing projects and stressed the need for stricter accountability among contractors.
“Infrastructure projects should be completed within 3.5 years. The time taken by a contractor to complete a project must be one of the criteria for selection. There are many difficulties in the completion of a project. However, mechanisms must overcome these difficulties,” he said.
The Chief Minister noted that adherence to project timelines should remain a key performance benchmark and urged implementing agencies to proactively resolve bottlenecks affecting execution.
During the review of the Dharavi Redevelopment Project, Fadnavis directed officials to issue orders granting State GST relief to entrepreneurs operating within Dharavi. He also instructed departments to resolve matters related to the redevelopment project through inter-departmental coordination, stating that issues already covered under the tender process need not be repeatedly referred to the Cabinet.
Reviewing the BDD Chawl redevelopment programme, the Chief Minister called for the immediate takeover of occupied structures at Worli, N.M. Joshi Marg and Naigaon in Dadar to facilitate the next phase of redevelopment without further delays.
Fadnavis also sought updates on major connectivity projects, including the Thane-Borivali Tunnel and the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road, directing authorities to adhere to prescribed timelines. He reiterated that the Goregaon-Mulund project should be completed by January 2029.
The meeting also focused on expediting land acquisition for the Virar-Alibaug Multimodal Corridor. Highlighting the corridor’s potential to boost surrounding land values, Fadnavis suggested identifying strategic zones along the route and encouraging investment-led industrial development. Progress on multiple Mumbai Metro corridors was also reviewed.
Source: The Times of India
