Firm blacklisted by MCGM signs Metro-3 contract

J. Kumar Infra Projects Limited which has been blacklisted in the road repair scam by the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM), has now signed an agreement with the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRC) for Phase-3 of the city metro. J Kumar is also the contractor for the Metro 2A corridor from Dahisar to DN Nagar.

The firm was blacklisted in the road scam involving Rs 352 crore. There have been allegations of substandard work in the construction of the 34 roads comprising 14 in South Bombay, 11 in the western suburbs and 9 in the eastern suburbs by this contractor.

According to reports, the police have registered a case under sections 420 (cheating) 197 (issuing or signing false certificate) and 120(b) (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against J Kumar Infra projects Limited in MCGM road scam.

Repeated calls to MMRDA officials went unanswered.

According to MMRC, the contractor has been awarded the Rs 2858 crore project involving the design and construction of underground sections including four underground stations at Dharavi, Bandra Kurla Complex, Vidhyanagari and Santacruz with tunnel construction.

It also includes construction of underground sections including Chhatrapati Shivaji International airport, and Sahar Road with bored tunnels worthRs 2153 crores.

Civil contractors for this project were selected in accordance with the JICA procurement guidelines through an international competitive bidding, according an MMRDA release.

The 33.5 km long, Metro 3 corridor would stretch across 27 stations and would be built underground. The surveys and related investigations are in progress and the project is likely to commence in the month of October 2016.