Maharashtra govt plans to set up third agency for road work

According to officials, Maharashtra has an extensive network of roads of about 3 lakh kilometres. Of these, the PWD has 1 lakh km of major state highways, state highways and district highways under it. The repair of the existing roads in the state under the jurisdiction of the PWD are scheduled in specific intervals but due to limited funds, it is not possible to carry out such repairs at the expected frequency or in case of urgency.

“Considering all these aspects, the proposal to establish a new government-owned corporation under the PWD to implement projects in 22 infrastructure development areas such as roads, ports, airports, railways, metro, electricity, etc., and to raise funds for the same was under consideration of the government and the government has given approval to form the corporation under the Companies Act, 2013,” officials said adding that the government has issued a government resolution in this regard.

The agency can also collect duties, surplus charges and betterment charges for the maintenance and repairs of roads in the state, along with raising funds through monetising the assets of PWD.

“The agency can do and take up infrastructure work and projects in other states also by participating in the bids and signing MoUs. We will promote the agency to do infrastructure projects and work in other states and raise funds. The agency can also implement projects in 22 infrastructure development areas such as roads, ports, airports, railways, metro, electricity etc., and to raise funds for the same was under consideration of the government,” the official said.

Earlier the MSRDC, formed in 1996 by the Maharashtra government, was reporting to the PWD department under the PWD minister. At present, it has undertaken projects, including the Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Mahamarg, Versova Viral Sea Link and Mumbai Pune missing link project.

The agency, however, was put under a different minister after the formation of Devendra Fadnavis-led BJP-Shiv Sena government in 2016.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde now has the charge of the MSRDC since it started working as a separate agency.

“Earlier the monetisation of PWD’s asset and other development work was being done by the MSRDC. But since the MSRDC got minister, the PWD was left with nothing, including funds, which it could get from the MSRDC. It looks like the PWD has formed another agency to replace MSRDC. This way, the PWD will get its own agency to do its work but what MSRDC will do then,” a senior leader and former PWD minister said.

Nitin Raut, Congress leader and the former PWD minister in the MVA government, also slammed the government over this decision saying that there is chaos in the government and questioned the purpose of having one more agency to do the same work that MSRDC can do.

“What is the purpose of setting up another agency ? What will MSRDC do if the same work, including infrastructure projects and road work will be done by this new MSIDC? The move will create more chaos between the agencies on which agency will do what work,” Raut told The Indian Express.