The plan to extend the sea link to Haji Ali, in limbo for months, has been effectively shelved. Sources say Reliance Infrastructure (RInfra), which was in a dispute with the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) about contractual promises, has been allowed to make an exit after the mediator found its grouse against the state agency valid. Slamming the agency for breaching its agreement with RInfra, mediator Justice (retd) B P Singh has indirectly said the firm is not bound to pay a penalty for ending the contract. “The government has no authority to change the terms and conditions of the original agreement once the project has been awarded to the bidder,” said Justice Singh in his 12-page report. As per the MSRDC-RInfra agreement, the agency was supposed to get a guarantee of Rs 1,392 crore for the WHSL project from the government. The government was also to return the developer’s investment were it to terminate the contract after start of construction. But it refused to extend support to both the MSRDC and RInfra. There are two possibilities for direct connectivity between Worli and Haji Ali:
• MSRDC invites tenders afresh
• Waits for the Centre's environmental clearance to the coastal road plan
No comments:
Post a Comment