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The Maharashtra government has acknowledged that a contractor involved in Mumbai's Metro Line 9 project received payments higher than what was due and assured that the matter would be investigated. The issue was raised in the state legislative assembly by Mira Bhayandar MLA Narendra Mehta, who alleged irregularities in land rent payments, project cost escalations and delays. The government confirmed that excess payments had been made for land used as a casting yard and stated that the amount would be recovered if required. Officials also said disciplinary action would be taken against concerned authorities if irregularities are confirmed.
The Maharashtra government has admitted that a contractor associated with the Mumbai Metro Line 9 project was paid more than what was due and has assured that a detailed inquiry will be conducted. The matter was raised in the state legislative assembly by BJP MLA Narendra Mehta from Mira Bhayandar, who highlighted several financial and administrative irregularities linked to the project. Advertisement
Mehta alleged that the contractor, J Kumar Infraprojects, received excessive payments for land used as a casting yard at Mira Road. According to him, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) paid rent at the rate of INR 36 per sq ft for the land. He pointed out that another nearby plot had been leased at only INR 7 per sq ft. Based on this comparison, he argued that the rate paid by the authority was unusually high.
He further stated that the land used for the casting yard had a market value of about INR 20 crore, but the agency ended up paying nearly INR 120 crore as rent over a period of around five years. The casting yard is a facility used during metro construction for preparing and storing structural components such as segments for elevated tracks.
The MLA also raised concerns about cost escalations in other parts of the Metro Line 9 project. He said the estimated cost of the Dahisar metro station increased from around INR 43 crore to nearly INR 73 crore. In addition, he claimed that the contractor was assigned work related to the construction of a flyover along the metro corridor near Gaimukh without issuing a fresh tender.
Further allegations were made regarding the construction of four bridges near Mira Road. According to Mehta, the estimated cost for these bridges increased sharply from about INR 270 crore to nearly INR 620 crore. He also pointed out that the Dahisar-Mira Bhayandar metro corridor was expected to be completed in 2023, but the project has been delayed by nearly three years.
The MLA said penalties were not imposed on the contractor despite the delay. He demanded that the government conduct a detailed investigation into the payments made under the project and recover any excess amount if irregularities are confirmed. He also called for accountability from officials responsible for approving these payments.
During the discussion, BJP MLA Sanjay Kelkar from Thane, who was presiding over the debate, noted that the allegations were serious and required strict examination. He said several complaints had already been raised earlier regarding works handled by the contractor in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region and directed that the issue be examined through a time-bound inquiry.
Responding on behalf of the government, Minister of State for Urban Development Madhuri Misal acknowledged that excess payment had been made in the case of the casting yard land. She explained that when government agencies rent land for infrastructure projects, the rent structure is often calculated in such a way that the amount can be recovered over a longer period, generally around twenty years.
However, she admitted that in this case the payment made was higher than what was actually due. She assured the assembly that the government would examine the matter and take necessary steps to recover the excess amount.
Addressing the concerns regarding bridge construction costs, Misal stated that the executing agency had received an additional payment of 10.30 percent. She said this increase was within the permissible limit, as contract provisions allow cost variations of up to 20 percent without issuing a new tender.
She also clarified that the delay in the Metro Line 9 project was linked to operational challenges such as shifting of utilities including electricity lines and relocation of toll infrastructure along the route. These issues slowed down construction activities and affected the project timeline.
The government informed the assembly that the allegations regarding rent payments, cost escalation and delays would be examined in detail. It added that if the inquiry finds any wrongdoing, excess payments will be recovered and disciplinary action will be taken against officials of MMRDA who were responsible for approving the transactions.
Metro Line 9 forms part of the larger Mumbai metro expansion programme and will connect Dahisar with Mira Bhayandar. The corridor is expected to improve connectivity for residents in the northern suburbs and neighbouring areas of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Once operational, it is expected to reduce travel time and provide an alternative to road-based transport for daily commuters travelling between these areas.
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