MTHL qualification pre-bid meeting

Mumbai, December 14, 2011 – 17 companies, representing prospective consortiums involving more than 50 companies – Indian and international – showed up for the MTHL's pre-qualification-bid meeting on payment of rupees eight lakh eighty thousand each for the bid processing fees, and appreciated the way MMRDA has been showcasing and addressing the all critical Mumbai Trans Harbour Link.  The meeting, chaired by Mr. Rahul Asthana, Metropolitan Commissioner, MMRDA, today, was held for interested players to raise their queries and or to make suggestions as far as the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link Project is concerned.

“The participation was pretty vocal more in terms of making suggestions rather than raising queries. We will certainly attend to them in due course”, said Mr. Rahul Asthana. “For MMRDA, MTHL is not another project. This project is not merely a Link that will take you from point 'A' to point 'B'. We look at this project as a potential Link that will pave way to economic development of Navi Mumbai, district of Raigad and surrounding areas. With Eastern Freeway more than 75% ready we also expect the project to provide multi-directional connectivity to various parts of the city and its neighbouring areas. We enjoy the confidence and support of the State Government too”, said Mr. Asthana to a query as to whether or not there will be a “State-support-agreement” in place before the successful bidder is decided. Mr. Asthana informed that the project will be backed also by the Government of India.

While the representatives of a few companies asked for relaxation of certain criteria, few others insisted that the criteria be only stringent as the project involves high level technical expertise.

A query about the right-of-way was answered by Ms. Ashwini Bhide, Additional Metropolitan Commissioner, MMRDA. “As far as the island side is concerned the land is vested with the Mumbai Port Trust and our talks have already brought to the fore an “in-principle” agreement. On the mainland side, out of the requirement of 100 hectares 70% of the land has already been acquired and we are confident about acquiring the rest of the land much before the commencement of the project, as the acquisition procedure is at an advanced stage”, said Ms. Bhide.

Also present on the occasion were Mr. S.M. Sabnis, Chief Engineer, MMRDA; Mr. V. N. Ghanekar, Superintending Engineer, MMRDA; Mr. Ajay Saxena, PPP expert; Mr. Santosh Kamath, Sanjay Saha and Mr. Khatu who represented Consultant consortium Arup/CES/KPMG.

The participating companies included M/s.Italian Thai, M/s.HCC, M/s.L&T, M/s.Reliance Infra, M/s.Simplex Infrastructure, M/s.Essar, M/s.Samsung, M/s.Welspun, M/s.IRB, M/s.Navayuga Engineering, M/s.Sreeram Urban Infra, M/s.Trial Roads Pvt.Ltd., M/s.Gammon Infra, M/s.IL&FS, M/s.Allianace Integrated Metaliks Ltd. and M/s.Concept.