Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC Anil Parab on Sunday alleged serious irregularities and a scam in the Rs 1,400 crore Dighi Port Industrial Area development project in Raigad district. Parab has written to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, demanding a probe by an Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) into the tender process.
Allegations of Irregularities in Tender Process
Parab claimed that there were serious discrepancies in the tender process for infrastructure development works worth approximately Rs 1,400 crore under Phase-1 of the Dighi Port Industrial Area (DPIA) project. He stated that the Maharashtra Industrial Township Limited (MITL) floated a tender for Package-A under the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) model for the project.
Discrepancies in Experience Certificates
According to Parab, the winning bidder submitted experience certificates with significant discrepancies. As per the tender conditions, only projects completed within the last 10 years were eligible. However, the company reportedly submitted details of a project from 2010–11, which falls outside the eligibility period. Additionally, the documents regarding the nature of the work, project cost, and work orders were incomplete and inadequate.
Self-Certified Documents and Deliberate Misrepresentation
Parab further alleged that the completion certificates for similar projects submitted by the company were self-certified documents issued by related subsidiaries or affiliated companies. He termed this as deliberate misrepresentation in the tender process.
Similar Tender in Bihar
Highlighting a similar case, Parab noted that in a tender floated by Bihar Integrated Manufacturing City Gaya Limited, where the eligibility conditions were comparable, the same company was not declared eligible.
Objections Ignored
Competing bidders raised objections before MITL Chairman and Principal Secretary of the Industries Department P Anbalagan and Managing Director PD Malikner regarding the issues in the tender process. However, Parab claimed that these objections were ignored.
Demand for Independent Inquiry
Parab demanded that the entire tender process and the documents submitted be subjected to an independent inquiry by an ACS-level officer. He said that since all related documents are available with MITL, the inquiry report should be submitted within 15 days. He also demanded that the minutes of the MITL Tender Evaluation Committee meetings, as well as any supporting documents submitted, be immediately made available. Furthermore, all documents submitted by the winning bidder relating to the tender eligibility criteria should be made public.
Background of Dighi Port
Dighi Port is a privately operated all-weather multipurpose sea port located in Raigad. The port handles a wide variety of cargo, including bulk, break-bulk, liquid, containers, and specialized project cargo.
