No takers for PMAY, bids extended

Mumbai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dream project Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) for constructing affordable homes has just found a single bidder for constructing approximately 3,500 homes in the neighbouring satellite cities of Mumbai.

This has resulted in the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) giving a third extension for the bidding process, saying that the exercise has to be competitive.

In a bid to push both the flagship projects, the state government had floated global bids for PMAY. However, in the first week of February, after finding no takers, the dates were extended three times in order to have competitive bidding.

An MHADA official handling PMAY, said, “Though the revenue department had transferred the land parcels in the name of Mhada located in Kalyan, Panvel and other districts surrounding Mumbai but at various locations, the villagers have protested. This time we had single bidder bidding for the project, and hence, according to the norms, a third call has been given, and we have extended the bidding dates for another week.”

The MHADA officials had also anticipated the lukewarm response to the slowdown in the real estate sector and claimed that many companies that participated in the pre-bid meeting, but none of them submitted their bids.

The homes under the PMAY would be constructed in the neighbouring Thane, Kalyan and Khalapur, for which the Mhada has floated a bid.  Each unit constructed would measure around 322 square feet, and the people belonging to the economically weaker group (EWS) can buy these homes.

A buyer whose family income is not more than Rs 25,000 monthly is eligible for the scheme.