Single bid for Manora MLA hostel, PWD seeks Vidhan Bhavan’s call on re-tendering

Deputy Engineer (PWD) Vijay Nandrekar said, “We have received only one tender. We don’t know whether to open it or not. So, we have sought permission from the legislature.”

When contacted, state Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar said, “The plans are ready. We want work to commence. We had received three technical bids, but just one financial bid. We have written to the law and judiciary department for an opinion. Thereafter, a meeting will be held on whether to allow the sole bidder or issue another tender.”

Sources in the PWD said that ideally, when a single party applies, a new tender is issued. “But there has been immense delay and the government might allow the sole bidder to start work.” The Manora MLA hostel was constructed between 1994 and 1998. Its D wing was declared unfit for human habitation and later the entire structure was declared dilapidated and razed to the ground.

The project to rebuild the hostel was given to the National Building Construction Company but the work did not progress and it was handed over to PWD. In May 2021, a global tender was issued for the proposed hostel. While it was initially supposed to cost around Rs 600 crore, the delay has shot up the price to to Rs 900 crore.

Mumbai had four MLA hostels – Akashwani, Majestic, Old Vidhan Bhavan and Manora. While Manora has been completely razed, Majestic is being repaired. The new Manora hostel is envisioned to have 367 accommodation units.

Each legislator will be accommodated in a 600 sq ft carpet area 1-BHK.