The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report has slammed the Maharashtra government for the delay in implementing the water transport system in Mumbai, which has led to a wasteful expenditure of R
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report has slammed the Maharashtra government for the delay in implementing the water transport system in Mumbai, which has led to a wasteful expenditure of Rs 20.95 crore.
The report states that the then government had in June 1999 appointed Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) as the implementing agency for the work of developing a passenger water transport system along the coast of Mumbai. The MMB prepared detailed surveys and drew designs and invited tenders on build, own, operate and transfer (BOOT) basis. “However, suddenly the state decided to transfer the project to the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation Limited (MSRDCL),” the report stated.
Following the transfer of project, MSRDCL too prepared plans and detailed engineering drawings and obtained all the required permissions, the CAG report stated.
“Tenders were invited three times between 2002 and 2009, but were not finalised owing to various reasons such as non-availability of land parcel from the port trust and internal disputes of the contractors and poor responses of operators,” said the report.
Since 2002, the MSRDCL had spent Rs 20.95 crore by appointing consultants to prepare the design for the project and to conduct a feasibility study. Subsequently, in 2014, the government decided not to pursue the western waterways projects and again appointed MMB as the implementing agency for the east coast project in June 2015,” it stated.
The MMB has again floated tenders for appointment of consultants for the project, it added. The report further stated that MSRDCL has not been able to conceptualise the project within a span of 10 to 13 years despite being transferred to them.
“Because of the indecision of the government, even after the lapse of 16 years as regards its willingness to go ahead with the project and deciding the implementing agency, the project as envisaged could not be implemented,” said the report. This has led to a wasteful expenditure of Rs 20.95 crore,” it stated.
