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Eleven companies from India and abroad have submitted a request for proposal (RFP) to the Shiv Sena-BJP ruled Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for appointment as consultant for the Rs 12,000-crore Mumbai coastal road project.
The consultant is expected to do peer review, evaluate draft detailed project report (DPR) and bid process management. The list of bidders include KPMG, CRISIL, HSSE Malaysia, TCE, Louis Berger, Darashaw & Company, RHDHV, Construma Consultancy, CH2M Hill, Alia Consultancy and Arup India.
BMC has already launched discussion with the bidders to award a contract. The civic body has received suggestions and objections from more than 700 individuals and agencies. Environmentalists, urban planning experts and fishermen community have taken serious objections to the project saying that it will adversely impact aquatic life.
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A BMC official told Business Standard, “The Government of Maharashtra had formed a Joint Technical Committee (JTC) to study the coastal road along west coast. The JTC had studied concept of proposed coastal road. The committee recommended about 35.6 km coastal freeway from Nariman Point to Kandivali comprising a combination of coastal roads based on reclamation, bridges, elevated roads and tunnels on western side of Mumbai to resolve the traffic congestion in Mumbai and to enable creation of the much needed recreational open spaces. JTC recommended appointing consultant for detailed further study of coastal road.”
The official said the project cost is estimated at Rs 12,000 crore excluding landscaping, rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R) cost, and land acquisition cost.
The official said BMC had already appointed STUP Consultants and E&Y who have submitted draft detailed project report and are carrying out R&R survey on site. They have undertaken the Techno-Economic and Financial Feasibility Study for the project.
BMC’s move comes close on the heels of the state government’s decision that the former will execute the coastal road project on a cash contract basis and not on build operate and transfer model. Already the Union ministry of environment and forests has already accorded in principle approval for the project which is expected to help in decongesting Mumbai roads and create 91 hectares of green space.
This apart, Netherlands government has agreed to provide technical support for the development of the proposed road.
The memorandum of understanding (MoU) on this was signed during the visit of the Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte in Mumbai in June.
