The fine of INR 64 crore imposed by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on the controversial contractor for stalling the road works in the city is yet to be paid by the contractor. On January 25, the municipal administration had ordered the contractor to pay the penalty within one month. However, even after two months, the contractor has not paid this fine and the municipal administration has also ignored it.
INR 1687 crore works were awarded to city road contractor Roadway Solutions India Infrastructure Limited. But this company did not make any efforts to start road works. In the report prepared in this matter, the municipal administration had blamed that the contractor was neither interested nor capable of doing these works. The contractor's delay has not only breached the terms of the contract, but Mumbaikars have also suffered. It was also said in this report. Apart from imposing a fine of INR 64 crores on the contractor, the administration also ordered to confiscate his deposit amount. However, even after two months, it has not been implemented.
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In this case, former BJP corporator Makarand Narvekar has written a letter to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation asking why the municipality is indifferent about collecting the fine from the road contractor Roadway Solutions India Infrastructure Limited. In this letter, he has said that there is a need for the municipality to take strict action against the contractor and impose a ban on other contractors as well.
He has also reiterated the demand that this contractor who cheated the municipality should be blacklisted and a criminal complaint should be registered against him. It is also suggested that henceforth, instead of calling for a grand tender for road works, the municipality should divide it into smaller ward-wise tenders so that more contractors can come forward and complete the road works.
BMC awarded the contract to Roadway Solutions India Infrastructure Limited (RSIL) in 2023
The BMC took up the concreting works of the roads in the year 2023. The works in the city section were given to contractor Roadway Solutions India Infrastructure Limited (RSIIL). But the contractor was repeatedly given notice as he did not start the work. Punitive action was also taken. But still the contractor did not start the work and did not pay the fine. He also did not attend the hearing called by the municipality.
Therefore, the civic body cancelled the contract for the first time in November. When the contractor approached the court, the court ordered the BMC to listen to his statement. Accordingly, in January 2024, the municipal administration called the contractor for a hearing. Additional Commissioner of City Division Ashwini Joshi was appointed for it. After this hearing, the municipal administration cancelled the contract of this contractor and ordered to pay a fine of 64 crore 60 lakh rupees within 30 days. It has been two months now.
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