Internecine war blocks Panvel-Sion road

The state government's plan to extend the Mumbai-Pune expressway from Panvel up to Sion seems to be hanging fire with the state Public Works Department (PWD) and Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) locking horns over the right to implement the project.

The PWD department, led by PWD minister Chaggan Bhujbal, says that the department is entitled to implement the project as the maintenance of the road between Sion and Panvel had traditionally been their responsibility.

Meanwhile, Anil Deshmukh, minister for MSRDC, says that when the state government decided to take up the project last year, the PWD had written a letter asking MSRDC to take up the job as the corporation had experience in implementing mega infrastructure projects.

He also said that the corporation had already appointed an international consultant which designed the project and it was about to invite bids.

However, the PWD claims that MSRDC's plan is too capital-intensive and the PWD will be able to implement the project within a budget of Rs 350 crore. But MSRDC counters this saying that the PWD's plans are not comprehensive.

"We are not talking about a six-lane road but a 14-lane road, of which, six lanes will have access control, just like the Mumbai-Pune expressway. The other lanes will be used for local traffic," an MSRDC source said.

The state cabinet's sub-committee on infrastructure, which met earlier this week, could not find a solution to the interdepartmental fight as both the ministers demanded that their respective departments be awarded the project.

Not just the implementation of the project, but the right to collect toll at Vashi is also a bone of contention between the two departments.

Sources in MSRDC said that since the corporation had already executed various infrastructure project in and around Mumbai, it has been given the right to collect toll at seven entry points of Mumbai till 2025.

Vashi toll plaza collects around 40 per cent of the toll collected at the seven collection points which amounts to more than Rs 100 crore.