MUMBAI, July 25: A five-year-old controversy over the construction of a cancer hospital at Marol, Andheri, has been laid to rest with the contract being awarded to two rival bidders who will work together on the project.Mayor Nandu Satam informed mediapersons after the MiC meeting that Unity Constructions and Gammon India had been awarded the contracts for constructing the two-building hospital complex at an estimated cost of Rs 30.50 crore.While Gammon India will undertake the construction of a 18,400 sq m structure at a cost of Rs 18.36 crore, Unity Constructions will build the second 6,631 sq m structure costing Rs 12.13 crore. The construction work will begin in a week's time and the hospital structure will be ready in 20 months, Satam informed.When the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) invited tenders for the hospital in 1992, Unity Constructions as well as Gammon India along with some others had submitted their tenders with Unity bagging the contract. However, Gammon India challenged it inthe Bombay High Court, claiming that Unity Constructions had reduced its estimate after the tenders were opened. The court directed the two firms to settle the matter amicably which led the firms to decide to work on the project together. The firms gave an undertaking to the court in this regard.Satam said the BMC had benefited from the entire controversy. The civic body saved money as the two firms reduced their estimates by Rs one crore, he pointed out. ``Also, the firms will carry out the work on the 1992 estimate; they have not revised it,'' he added.Along with the controversy, the problem of hutment dwellers on the hospital plot has also been sorted out. Satam said they would be rehabilitated by the state government under the Slum Redevelopment scheme.
