The Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries Limited owes Rs 1,576 crore to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) as additional premium charges for the construction of a property i
The Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries Limited owes Rs 1,576 crore to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) as additional premium charges for the construction of a property in the posh Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC), a Right To Information (RTI) query has revealed.
The outstanding amount pertains to plots located in BKC, namely G/C-64 that has an outstanding amount of Rs 1,187 crore and the plot G/C-66 that has an outstanding amount of Rs 389 crore.
RTI activist Anil Galgali had sought the information about the outstanding amounts from all categories of lease-holders with the MMRDA.
Among the 19 private organisations that owed premium to the MMRDA, all were given extended time, and these extensions resulted in the accrual of more than Rs 2,055 crore as premium for the MMRDA, reveals the RTI query.
It further revealed that from the government sector, Rs 4.75 crore was pending from the Commissioner of Income Tax and Rs 7.21 crore from the Maharashtra Maritime Board.
Mr Galgali, said, “Of the pending outstanding of Rs 2,055 crore from the private sector, Reliance alone owes Rs 1,576 crore. I have written to both the chief minister and commissioner of MMRDA and demanded that immediate recovery should be initiated and the amount should be recovered within 30 days with interest.”
He further said, “If the amount is not recoverable then, MMRDA should immediately take possession of the plot and once again re-allot it to the highest bidder, which will bring revenue to the MMRDA and will help it in initiating public development activities.”
A senior MMRDA official requesting anonymity said, “We had sent a legal notice to RIL for the plot that has an outstanding of around Rs 389 crore, whereas for another plot where the outstanding is Rs 1,187 crore we have sought an opinion from the retired Supreme Court judge Justice B.N. Srikrishna as the matter involves lot of litigation.”
However, Reliance has refuted all allegations and said the MMRDA had referred the matter to a committee for consideration of extension of the construction period from four to six years.
“The MMRDA had recognised the force majeure (legal term meaning unforeseeable situations in which the party is not able to fulfil the terms of a contract) with regards to Plot Number C/64, as there was a court stay on construction between October 2007 and March 2012,” said the spokesperson.
“The MMRDA in the last authority meeting decided to appoint a committee and we are awaiting further communication from MMRDA on the same. For Plot Number C/66, in the MMRDA meeting held on October 22, 2012, an order was passed that the extension of time may be granted up to six years for the new allottee. The major reasons quoted in the order for the extension were issues with regards to plot demarcation and road-widening, increase in the FSI (additional built up area), delay in obtaining environmental clearance, NOC of the High Rise Buildings Committee and civil aviation authority. Based on these facts, the authority extended the construction duration from four to six years and hence, referred the matter to the committee whose opinion is awaited,” the spokesperson further said.
