Dharavi: bids not opened,no fresh date

“The notification on the amended Development Control regulations for the urban renewal component of the project is still to be finalised,” said Gautam Chatterjee,officer on special duty for the Rs 15,000-crore project and also chief of the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA). The urban renewal component refers to chawls and buildings in the sprawling Central Mumbai slum that also need to be demolished under the project.

The financial bids from the shortlisted consortiums were to have been opened on July 20. The date was later extended to Thursday citing the same reason. “A new date is still to be finalised,” said Chatterjee.

However,sources said some sections in the Congress prefer to postpone the award of bids till after elections to the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly,slated to be held later this year.

The project was conceptualised nearly a decade ago. A fresh impasse had developed last month when a government-appointed committee of experts,having debated the details of the project for nearly a year,recommended that the project management consultant be removed. Having already faced delays owing to downturn-hit developers raising fresh doubts and requests,the project appeared to be on track until Wednesday evening when the state government took the decision against opening the bids.

Contrary to expectations that several developers are backing out owing to poor market conditions,financial bids from 14 of the 19 pre-qualified consortiums have been received,said officials.