The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation has floated a fresh tender seeking a contractor/toll operator for the Bandra Worli Sealink. The time period for toll operation is for 3 years. It has recently floated a tender looking for experienced agencies to carry out the said job on a monthly payment basis.
According to the MSRDC, the bidders should have experience in toll operations and management including FASTag enabled toll plazas. The bidders should be able to make an earnest money deposit of Rs 6.92 crore. Also, Rs 17.30 crore performance and security deposit separately or should be able to give.
The Free Press Journal had earlier also reported how MSRDC is in dire need of a toll contractor for Mumbai Sealink. Wherein it was ready to give the toll rights to interested one on a reserve price of Rs 692 crore for three years period. Therefore, a contractor who quotes over and above the reserve price, after evaluation would have been given the contract.
In the recent development, now MSRDC looking for a toll operator which can work on a monthly payment basis instead.
In fact, the MSRDC on lines of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway wanted to sell the Mumbai Sealink rights for 19 years for an upfront payment of Rs 2,895 crore. However, due to pandemic induced travel restrictions further affecting the traffic on Sealink, the plan was postponed.
The official said that a study will be carried out since Mumbai is back to normal. Following this, the long term selling of toll rights will be planned accordingly.
On the Bandra Worli Sea Link the government of Maharashtra as per a new notification has allowed collecting tolls till 2039. Similarly, once ready, the toll on Versova Bandra Sea Link, can be collected till 2052.
The previous contractor MEP Infrastructure was collecting tolls at Sandra Worki sealing but the company's tenure had expired in January 2020. After which, a temporary contractor was appointed. The MEP infrastructure was collecting tolls for the 5.6-km Sea Link and maintained it since 2009.
