MCGM (Projects)–my brain is fried!
I fail to understand why MCGM is calling for bids when already the bidders are pre-determined.
The Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) has invited bids for the design, build and construction of new 3,000 mm diameter mild steel (MS) water main connecting the tunnel shaft location at Gundavali (Bhiwandi) to the dome near the WYE Junction (Modaksagar). The work, categorised as Package 1, covers the stretch from the shaft location at Gundavali (Bhiwandi) to the Ambivali Anchor Block. The scope involves comprehensive work including detailed design, engineering, supply, fabrication, coating, laying, jointing, testing, and commissioning of the water main. The contractor will be responsible for ensuring compliance with technical specifications, safety standards, and quality requirements, along with necessary approvals and coordination with relevant authorities. Submission of proposals deadline was today as 22nd August, 2025.
A ridiculous condition has been put in the tender bid saying that Pipe and the Specials fabrication facility shall be located within a radius of 150 km from the project site. Why such a condition when it is the onus of the contractor from wherever he sources the pipes provided he completes the project with the said quality and within timelines. Bidders should be allowed to put such facilities on site also.
Now as per my sources, the conditions have been framed in such a way that only two pipe manufacturing companies ie Vishal Enterprises and Samriddhi only get qualified. These two have formed the cartel and given MOU to those companies whom Mr Sudhakar Hande from MCGM have asked them to provide. According to reliable sources, one project will be awarded to APCO & the other will be given to a company owned or suggested by “Ujjwal”. In both of these projects, my sources inform that sub contract work will be done by Mr Hande who is supposed to retire this month end. Now this is what is called a carefully crafted retirement plan. Earlier it was only APCO for the entire Rs. 2000 crores of replacement of pipes of 42 kms but now within a year the estimate has risen to Rs. 3500 cr for replacement of pipes for 50kms. Also now the work is divided into two packages to accommodate the pre-determined two bidders.
The earlier similar project was awarded to APCO under the same controversial specifications which also revolved round the same two manufacturers. Though a lot of objections were raised by serious bidders then, all were turned down thanks to blessings of Mr Asher.
That makes me think, if Mr Ketan Kadam has been thrown behind bars for framing conditions then why not Mr Sudhakar Hande? If EOW takes up the investigation, and asks for the objections raised by the bidders in current and previous on the sanctity and rationale behind framing such ridiculous conditions, the role of Mr Hande would be out there in the open…
By the way this is the same intelligent Hande who is responsible for framing the criteria and condition favouring well spun and veolia for the earlier WTP project at Bhandup & also for the ongoing WTP project at Panjrapur. Also to his credit, he is the same person responsible for framing conditions for the GMLR tunnel project which had so many deviations from any road project awarded by the MCGM so far. Last heard that Mr Ram Shinde himself wanted an inquiry into the said project of GMLR.
If Mithi is a Rs. 65 crores scam, then this is an openly glaring scam amounting to more than Rs.10,000 crores and that too framed by one and only Mr Sudhakar Hande? I heard that he was virtually the go to man & the blue eyes boy of the Addl MC in matters pertaining to framing conditions and criteria. I hope EOW & ED are taking notes. Don’t tell me that I didn’t inform you well in time. Also, it is high time all works happening under “Projects” to be reviewed.
I hope Law doesn’t resort to cherry picking when it comes to matters pertaining to scamsters and Liaisoners who want to make a fast buck at the cost of the government exchequer.
Vikrant Meena Hemant Joshi.
