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United News of India
20-05-2025
- Business
- United News of India
Maha: HC denies relief to L&T over bid for Thane-Ghodbunder to Bhayandar tunnel
Mumbai, May 20 (UNI) The Bombay High Court on Tuesday refused to grant relief to Larsen & Toubro (L&T) on its pleas challenging the non-intimation of opening of bids by Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) for the Thane-Ghodbunder to Bhayandar tunnel and elevated road projects worth over Rs 16,000 crore. A vacation bench of Justices Kamal R Khata and Arif S Doctor passed a verdict on two pleas by L&T, which claimed that it had not received any intimation about the status of its bids, while the other bidders had received the same. While refusing to grant relief, the bench directed that the bids submitted electronically by L&T for both projects be preserved in a sealed cover for two weeks, giving the company time to approach the Supreme Court. The high court also instructed MMRDA to communicate the tender award decision in accordance with the instructions to bidders (ITB). The two infrastructure projects aim to connect Thane and Mira-Bhayandar — a tunnel from Gaimukh to the Fountain Hotel junction at Shilphata, and an elevated creek bridge linking Bhayandar to Ghodbunder Road in Thane. The proposed bridge would be the second-largest in the region after the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL), also known as Atal Setu. It is proposed as an extension of the Mumbai Coastal Road Project. MMRDA had invited tenders in July 2024, and on October eight in response to a separate petition by L&T, they agreed to extend the deadline to submit bids by 60 days. UNI AAA SS
Time of India
20-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Bombay HC dismisses L&T's pleas against MMRDA's bid process for Twin Road projects
The Bombay High Court on Tuesday dismissed Larsen & Toubro's (L&T) petitions challenging the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority's (MMRDA) move to open financial bids for the Thane-Ghodbunder to Bhayandar tunnel and elevated road projects. However, the division bench of Justices Kamal R Khata and Arif S Doctor, in its oral judgment said the price bids submitted electronically by L&T for both the projects should be preserved in a sealed cover for two weeks to enable it to approach the Supreme Court. The detailed order was not uploaded till the time of filing the story. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The Most Majestic Cars of All Time (So Far) Watch Now The genesis of the dispute lies in the two tenders floated by the MMRDA last year. These tenders are for the design and construction of an elevated road from Fountain Hotel Junction at Thane-Ghodbunder Road to Bhayander at an estimated cost of about Rs 6,000 crore, and the design and construction of an underground road tunnel from Gaimukh to Fountain Hotel Junction on Thane-Ghodbunder road at the estimated cost of Rs 8,000 crore. Live Events The engineering conglomerate L&T, in two separate petitions filed through law firm AVP Partners, claimed that it had not received any intimation about the status of its bids, while the other bidders had received the same. Law firm DSK Legal is representing MMRDA. In the case of a plea against the opening of financial bids for an elevated road, the court refused to continue the stay on the opening of bids and said it was rejecting L&T's request for a further stay. In the case of the tunnel project, the court dismissed the engineering and construction major's plea stating that it had approached the court with 'suppressed' material. Senior counsels Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Janak Dwarkadas, on behalf of L&T, argued that the technical and financial bids were submitted on December 30, 2024, and MMRDA opened the technical bids on January 1, 202 and were being evaluated. However, the had not received any communication related to the same. Countering this, MMRDA, through Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, argued that it was not required to inform L&T that the firm's bid was found to be unresponsive before opening the financial bids. The state government authority also argued that since the project was in the public interest, it was entitled to open the financial bids and communicate the outcome of the technical evaluation without informing L&T. These road projects are the last leg of the ambitious coastal road project, which is expected to help with traffic decongestion and ease travel time from the northern suburbs to the central and southern parts of the city of Mumbai. The proposed bridge in one of the projects would be the second largest after the present Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) bridge, which is called Atal Setu.
Indian Express
20-05-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Bombay HC refuses relief to L&T in tender process for tunnel, elevated road projects connecting Thane with Mira-Bhayandar
The Bombay High Court Tuesday refused relief to Larsen & Toubro (L&T) in its pleas challenging the opening of financial bids for the Thane-Ghodbunder to Bhayandar tunnel and elevated road projects initiated by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA). A vacation bench of Justices Kamal R Khata and Arif S Doctor passed a verdict on two pleas by L&T, which claimed that it had not received any intimation about the status of its bids, while the other bidders had received the same. In the case of a plea against the opening of financial bids for an elevated road, the HC refused to continue the stay on the opening of bids and said it was rejecting L&T's request for further stay. In the case of the tunnel project, the HC dismissed L&T's plea stating that it had approached the court with 'suppressed' material. The HC, however, said the price bids submitted electronically by L&T for both the projects should be preserved in a sealed cover for two weeks to enable it to approach the Supreme Court. The bench said the MMRDA shall communicate the decision related to the tender award as per the Instructions to Bidders (ITB). The two projects link Thane and Mira-Bhayandar through a tunnel from Gaimukh to Fountain Hotel junction at Shilphata, and an elevated creek road bridge will connect Bhayandar to Ghodbunder Road in Thane. MMRDA invited tenders for the project in July 2024, and on October 8, responding to a separate plea by L&T, the Authority had said that it would extend by 60 days the last date of submission of bids for the project. Senior advocates Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Janak Dwarkadas, representing L&T, informed the HC that the technical and financial bids were submitted on December 30, 2024, and MMRDA opened the technical bids on January 1 and were being evaluated, however, the petitioner firm had not received any communication related to the same. The firm said that without such information about the evaluation result, MMRDA had scheduled the opening of financial bids for the project on May 13. However, it said some other bidders had received an intimation about the opening of financial bids. Therefore, it approached the HC seeking an urgent stay on the same. The firm argued that if the financial bids were opened by excluding it, the same would be contrary to a fair and transparent tender process and against well-established legal norms or principles. L&T's bid unresponsive before opening financial bids: MMRDA Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi for MMRDA, however, argued that it was not required to intimate L&T that the firm's bid was found to be unresponsive before opening the financial bids. The Authority claimed that since the project was in public interest, it was entitled to open the financial bids and communicate the outcome of the technical evaluation without informing L&T. It added that of the five bidders, others were also found unresponsive for both projects at the technical stage and will be informed once the final bidder is selected. The firm termed it 'discriminatory and arbitrary' and against principles of natural justice. Earlier, on May 13, the court directed MMRDA not to open financial bids till it hears the plea. On May 15, while concluding the hearing and reserving its order, the bench extended the said arrangement till its decision on May 20.
Indian Express
14-05-2025
- General
- Indian Express
Bombay HC asks Vile Parle Jain temple Trust to approach BMC authorities for ‘temporary shed'
The Bombay High Court on Wednesday asked the Trust which runs Digambar Jain temple in Vile Parle to approach the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) authorities with an application seeking to put a temporary shed over the structure due to ensuing monsoon. The BMC had on April 16 morning demolished most of the temple structure, which led to outrage and protests among members of the Jain community. The BMC on the same day had told the HC that except for two walls measuring 15 feet and 7 feet in length and 10 feet in height, the remaining suit structure had been razed. The HC had recorded the BMC's statement and had ordered that till further orders 'status quo in respect of the suit structure as of now shall be maintained.' On Wednesday, a vacation bench of HC of Justice Arif S Doctor was hearing an interim application by Shree 1008 Digambar Jain Mandir Trust. The Trust sought an interim relief to put a temporary shed over the structure in question citing upcoming monsoon. However, the lawyer representing respondent housing society submitted that the said relief cannot be granted as the status quo order was in place and after the idols were handed over as recorded in Police Panchnama, the Trust brought them back to the structure, which was contrary to the HC order. The Trust could have approached the regular court which on April 16 passed the status quo order, the lawyer argued. The bench directed the applicant Trust to approach the BMC authority concerned and asked the respondent to raise their grievances against the same before the said authority. 'In my view, if the applicant is desirous of carrying out any construction on the said plot in question, let an appropriate application be filed before the municipal authorities, who shall consider the same,' the HC noted. Earlier, on April 7, the city civil court had rejected the Trust's plea against demolition action but had granted interim protection for seven days for it to approach the HC. On April 15, the city civil court rejected Trust's application seeking to extend the interim protection from demolition. It had said that due to court holidays between April 10 and 14, it could not file an appeal in HC. On April 16 morning, the BMC initiated demolition action. The Trust sought urgent hearing before a bench of Justice Gauri V Godse, which ordered stopping of action, but was informed that most of the structure had already been demolished. The HC had then ordered status quo at the said structure, which was further extended till June 27.
