Even though the BMC awarded the contract for a second time, the long-delayed concretisation of 212 roads spanning eight municipal wards in South Mumbai is still halted. Civic officials are becoming increasingly frustrated due to the slow pace, even with the appointment of a new contractor. Following the previous contractor’s termination last year due to insufficient construction progress, the civic authorities had anticipated prompt action.
Six months after the previous contract ended last year, requesting new bids for the concretisation of South Mumbai’s roadways was underway. Following protracted discussions, M/s. Nagarjuna Construction Company Ltd (NCC Ltd) was given the contract for about Rs. 1,362 crores, 4% more than the BMC had originally estimated.
Nevertheless, work in the island city’s first phase has not yet started, even though several roads in the suburbs and the island city’s second phase of construction resumed on October 1 following a four-month break because of the monsoon.
The island city is regarded as a crucial location for road development because of its severe traffic congestion. As a result, getting the required traffic approvals has become a difficult and drawn-out procedure. Delays have also resulted from additional difficulties brought on by a lack of building space. According to civic authorities, contractors are consequently charging more for projects in the island capital.
By May 31, 2025, the BMC hopes to have 397 kilometres of roads worth Rs. 6,080 crores fully concreted. This is an ambitious goal. Officials are worried that the island city’s 65 km of roads have not yet been concretised, which could endanger the project’s overall schedule and make it more difficult to achieve the deadline.
It took several months to find new bidders for the project once the initial contract was terminated. In order to ensure that the construction continues without more delays, officials now intend to meet with the contractor to talk about the continuous delays and look into possible alternatives.
For its failure to execute, RSIIL was later fined Rs. 64.6 crore. Sources claim that no cement concrete road construction has been done in South Mumbai over the past one and a half years.
Source: The Free Press Journal
