Mumbai — The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is under fire for a controversial tender worth Rs 520 crore for a new 548-car parking system at the Asphalt Plant in Lower Parel. RTI activist Anil Galgali has raised alarms, suggesting the project could result in a staggering Rs 300 crore loss.
Galgali has expressed concerns about potential collusion between contractors and BMC officials, calling for the tender’s cancellation. In communications to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, and Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani, he highlighted that the cost per parking spot in this project is an exorbitant Rs 95 lakh, significantly higher than similar past projects.
For context, Galgali noted that BMC has previously awarded contracts for parking systems at much lower costs. For instance:
- A 176-car parking system at Flora Fountain was contracted to Vishal Construction for Rs 70 crore, or Rs 39.90 lakh per car.
- A 640-car system at Worli was awarded to Shree Enterprises for Rs 216.94 crore, costing Rs 33.90 lakh per car.
- A 475-car system in Matunga was contracted for Rs 103.87 crore, amounting to Rs 21.87 lakh per car.
Galgali also pointed out that other government agencies, including the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) and MMRDA, execute similar projects at significantly lower costs. He accused the BMC of inadequate price evaluation, claiming the corporation is overpaying by 200% to 300% for outsourced work.
He further alleged that officials involved in the tender process are benefiting contractors at the expense of Mumbaikars. Galgali urged authorities to request bid documents and cost estimates from agencies like MMRDA to compare these inflated costs, which he claims are 60% higher than previous BMC contracts.
Concluding his remarks, Galgali warned that unless action is taken against the responsible officials, such financial mismanagement will persist, leading to further losses for the city.
