The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has issued a Rs 850 million tender for the operation and maintenance of the Mumbai Coastal Road Project for a five-year period. The tender, floated on March 10, covers various aspects of the 10.6 km-long high-speed corridor, which has been maintained by the BMC since its inception. Responsibilities have included repairing damaged road sections, maintaining the twin tunnels, and handling other related operations.

Under the new tender, the selected contractor will be responsible for routine inspections, maintaining the fire-fighting system, towing services, deploying patrolling vans, marking vehicular lanes, and repainting and maintaining existing road signs. The funding for this maintenance work will come from the annual allocation to the coastal road department in the BMC’s budget. The decision to introduce a dedicated tender for these activities aims to streamline operations and ensure efficient fund utilization.

While the contractor will handle most maintenance responsibilities, the upkeep of the tunnel ventilation system and the uninterrupted power supply (UPS) system will continue under BMC's supervision for the next two years. After this period, these responsibilities will be transferred to the contractor through a separate tender process.

Any additional work that may arise beyond the current contract’s scope will be incorporated into future tenders. This approach is intended to prevent cost escalations within the current agreement while allowing for necessary revisions in subsequent contracts.

News source: The Indian Express