Aaditya seeks Shinde's sacking over cancellation of MMRDA's 2 big-ticket projects; calls for probe

Mumbai, May 31 (PTI) Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Saturday demanded sacking of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde after the MMRDA apprised the Supreme Court of its decision to scrap the tender process for two big-ticket infrastructure projects in Mumbai.

Addressing a press conference, Thackeray said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis should order a probe against Shinde by the police's Economic Offences Wing (EOW), the Enforcement Directorate (ED) or the Income Tax Department.

On Friday, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), which is headed by Shinde who is also the Urban Development Minister, told the Supreme Court that it was scraping two tenders associated with the Gaimukh-Ghodbunder-Bhayander project and said it would start the process of inviting bids anew "to safeguard larger public interest".

The step was being taken voluntarily to reinforce public trust and ensure optimal use of taxpayers' funds, the MMRDA said, adding that the state-run authority was actively considering a downward revision of the base cost by approximately Rs 3,000 crore based on financial bids revealed during the litigation.

"Why should the government back down? No contractor goes against the government for one tender. This is only a scam. Cancelling the tender does not mean everything is clean. You (the MMRDA) had a hanging sword which is why you had to cancel the tender," Thackeray said.

"Will CM Fadnavis get the matter probed by EOW, IT or ED? The CM should himself take charge of the MMDRA," he said.

"Shinde's corruption is proved. Will you sack him from the cabinet till the probe gets over? He has to face action," Thackeray added.

The Supreme Court also rapped the MMRDA over the matter while hearing a plea of Larsen & Toubro (L&T) against the MMRDA's decision to disqualify the infrastructure giant from bidding for the projects.

The two high-value projects in question include the approximately Rs 6,000-crore Mumbai Elevated Road Project a 9.8-kilometre bridge along Vasai Creek and the Rs 8,000-crore Road Tunnel Project, which involves the construction of five-kilometre twin tunnels from Gaimukh to the Fountain Hotel Junction on Thane's Ghodbunder Road.

Last year, Thackeray had said that initially the MMRDA had given only 20 days for bidders to submit their bids for the mega infrastructure projects.

He said the tender was issued on September 13, 2024 and the bidders were supposed to submit the bid on October 3 2024. He said such a notice is only given for emergency work and not big-ticket projects.

Thackeray said after he raised the issue, the deadline to submit the bids was extended to 60 days.

He said a bank guarantee was given from a financial institution from St Louis, a country in the Caribbean and that it was only after he made noise over the issue that the MMRDA rescinded its decision.

The tender conditions were designed in such a way that some "favourite contractors" could bag it, according to him. PTI PR NP