Tainted contractor given Rs 5,000 crore contract: Congress

Just as ally Shiv Sena got mired in controversy in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), over the road repairs scam, the BJP-led state government too was on Thursday alleged to have allotted works of Mumbai Metro project to a tainted contractor involved in the road repairs scam.

Congress spokesman Sachin Sawant, who made the allegation, said, “The state government-ruled Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has decided to allot works of Metro-III and Metro-VII projects worth Rs 5,000 crore to the tainted contractor. It speaks of the double standards of the BJP on the corruption issue.”

He said the BMC had filed a complaint against the M/s J Kumar Infra Projects for the irregularities in the road repair works. Despite initiating the process of blacklisting, the civic body decided to allot the bridges contract to the same contractor. Taking serious note of this, the high court passed severe strictures on the BMC, due to which the civic standing committee finally scrapped the bridges contract.

Mr Sawant said the BJP leaders had made a lot of hue and cry about the corruption in the BMC.

Adding that the BMC has revoked the licence of the said contractor, he said while it was expected the state government would take action against the tainted contractor, they have instead done him a favour by allotting Metro project works.