Mumbai: PWD invites new tenders for Manora MLA hostel redevelopment

Mumbai: Following a failed attempt to attract bidders last week, Maharashtra's Public Works Department (PWD) issued a fresh tender for the redevelopment of the Manora MLA hostel at Nariman Point. The construction costs for the proposed luxurious multi-storey buildings are expected to rise from ₹850 crore to over ₹1,000 crore.

Reports state that last year, the PWD department wanted to redevelop the hostel, and three major real estate companies responded—Tata, L&T, and Shapoorji Pallonji—of which only the first two submitted only the technical bids. A financial bid was submitted by Shapoorji Pallonji, but it was over ₹1,200 crore that exceeded the government's budget of ₹850 crore. Consequently, the government invited tenders afresh by modifying certain conditions in order to improve response rates.

According to a PWD official, the cost which was estimated for the redevelopment was completed in 2018 and is expected to go up. Even after making calls to the bidders, the cost set by them still stays high. Therefore, regarding this PWD stated that the final will be taken up by the cabinet sub-committee.

With the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) approving an FSI (floor space index) of 5.4 for the project which falls partly in CRZ-II, almost all permissions needed have been obtained. The refurbishment of the 13,429-square-meter plot will likely take several more months to complete. The state plans to construct two towers measuring 25 storeys and 45 storeys, containing 850 rooms measuring 600 sq ft and 400 sq ft, respectively, as reported by the Hindustan Times.

As a result of the updates in the bid documents, Shashi Prabhu, the government's appointed architect, posited that the government expects more bidders this time around, a sentiment backed up by P P Bangosavi, the state's superintendent engineer. In both cases, the project is expected to take off in a short time.

The redevelopment of Manora has been delayed for a long time now, costing the state exchequer a considerable amount. Since the BMC announced that Manora was unfit to stay in February 2018, MLAs receive rent up to 1.4 lakhs per month as alternative accommodation in the absence of hostel rooms.

As of now, the government has paid more than 115 crores for members of both houses' transit accommodation rent.