L&T moves HC against MMRDA’s tender process for projects worth Rs 16, 577 crore

The steadfast said that it is 1 of the competent apical infrastructure companies successful the satellite with intentional contracts and collecting specified information would necessitate astatine slightest 30 days. It argued that the information for submission of the bid by October 7 with specified a information was ex facie arbitrary and done successful haste, therefore, the bids beryllium considered without the proviso of specified details.

After the seat led by Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya said that it volition perceive the pleas connected Tuesday (October 8), Advocate General Birendra Saraf for MMRDA assured the HC done a connection that the bids volition not beryllium opened till 4: 30 p.m. connected October 8.

Senior advocates Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Zal Andhyarujina representing L&T argued earlier a seat of CJ Upadhyaya and Justice Amit Borkar that “it was a lawsuit of abrupt alteration successful MMRDA’s approach, with the tearing hurry to lessen contention oregon exclude definite bidders from the process.”

Singhvi added the acrophobic span would beryllium 2nd largest aft the contiguous Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) bridge, which is besides called arsenic Atal Setu and erstwhile the tender process began successful July, this year, determination was perfectly nary hurry successful the minds of the tendering authorities.

The steadfast submitted that nary geotechnical information including ungraded investigating for the span was contained successful NIT issued connected September 13, aft which connected September 23, the petitioner wrote to MMRDA seeking the same. However, Singhvi argued, the said information was not provided, and truthful L&T sought urgent alleviation successful airy of the past day for submission of tender being revised to October 7.

Senior advocator Janak Dwarkadas, representing L&T successful different petition challenging the tender process pertaining to the bid for the tunnel, said that portion it had submitted the bid, it was nether protest. He said that for a task of ample magnitude, it would beryllium hard to stitchery geotechnical information successful a abbreviated span and that bids should beryllium accepted without specified details.

CJ Upadhyaya orally remarked that specified a information of providing the information volition beryllium taxable to the result of the petition.

Saraf submitted that the announcement of petition was fixed to the authorities connected Sunday nighttime and truthful helium required clip to instrumentality instructions from authorities to respond to the plea. The HC volition perceive the plea connected Tuesday.