The MMRDA administration has informed RTI activist Anil Galgali that the work on Bharat Ratna Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Memorial at Indu Mill in Mumbai has been extended and will be completed by March 2024.
So far, Rs 209 crore has been paid to the contractor and 49 per cent of the buildings and six per cent of the footpaths have been completed.
RTI activist Anil Galgali had sought various information from the MMRDA administration about the Ambedkar memorial in Mumbai.
The MMRDA administration has informed Anil Galgali that the expected cost of the memorial is Rs 763.05 crore as per the original concept and it has been approved as Rs 1089.95 crore as per the revised concept.
Till date, a total of Rs 209.53 crore has been paid for the project as of 23rd November 2021, which includes a mobilization advance of Rs 31.65 crore and a project consultant fee of Rs. 12.68 crore. Contractor M/s Shapoorji Palonji and Project Consultant M/s Shashi Prabhu Associates and Design Associates INC.
The contractor has been given an extension of March 2024 to complete the entire work. The work order was issued on February 9, 2018, and the work was expected to be completed in 36 months.
According to Anil Galgali, the project was expected to be completed 14 months ago but was delayed by the contractors.
The MMRDA now needs to take appropriate action to complete the project in an extended period of time. Galgali has sent letters to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, Social Justice Minister Dhananjay Munde and MMRDA Commissioner in this regard.
