Only firms with transplantation equipment may apply, says MMRDA
Mumbai: The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) on Tuesday floated a tender for interested companies to replant trees on the alignment of Metro lines 2B (D N Nagar to Mandale) and 4 (Wadala-Kasavadavli). However, only those companies with replantation equipment will be considered.
According to the MMRDA, the estimated cost of work is Rs 3.63 crore and the contract period is of three years. To participate in the tendering process, the bidders have to deposit Rs 1.81 lakh as earnest money deposit each.
Activists have appreciated the MMRDA move. Environmentalist Zoru Bhathena said, “It is a welcome move. Unlike other major projects where trees have been mercilessly felled, for Metro lines 2B and 4, at least the MMRDA is taking an initiative to appoint companies which can replant trees in a proper way.”
The Free Press Journal had in December last year reported that the civil work on these metro lines had been delayed, forcing the MMRDA to serve an ultimatum to contractors to speed up the work or face punishment.
In its reply to the MMRDA, the M/s TATA Project Limited and M/s China Harbour Engineering Co, the consortium undertaking the Metro 4 said it was primarily because of ‘trees’ that the alignment is not happening. The last date for online submission of tenders is April 2, and the contract is scheduled to be awarded on April 5.
