Maha PWD proposes one year contract extension for Shivaji Memorial

The Maharashtra Public Works Department (PWD) has proposed an extension of one year for the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Memorial project work to L&T without cost escalation.

The government will grant the final extension for the project. The extension was stalled in January 2019, and the contractor carried out only the bathymetry and partial geotechnical survey. Except for these the whole construction work is remaining. The work at the project site has not started, and no payment has been made to the contractor.

The PWD had filed a court case against the project, raised by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India's (CAGs) Accountant General regarding the bidding process and the Covid-19 pandemic. The current contract period ended on 18 October.

From 19th October 2018, the PWD signed a contract with L&T for 36 months. However, on 11th January 2019, the Supreme Court restricted the state government from proceeding with the construction work. A stop-work notice was issued by the PWD to the contractors.

Sources told the media that the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) had approached the project. PWD Minister, Ashok Chavan, said that the project would commence after satisfactory closure of the irregularities in the bidding process that were flagged by the CAG and after addressing the environmental department and safety raised in the court.

The CAG noticed that the previous government's decision of reducing the cost of the project by negotiating with the lowest bidder and changing the scope of the work had degraded the bidding process and restricted transparency in the procedure.

The project of 212 meters high includes a 123.2 metres equestrian statue standing over an 88.8 metres pedestal is a flagship of the Devendra Fadnavis governance. PM Narendra Modi did its jal pujan in 2016, and the estimated cost of the memorial is Rs 3,600 crore.

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