Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday directed the concerned agencies to resolve bottlenecks delaying project completion and ensure contractors adhere strictly to their designated timelines. He instructed departments to blacklist defaulting contractors by withholding future projects if they cause undue delays.
He added that for the prosperity of Maharashtra, it is essential to expedite the execution of infrastructure development projects. The Chief Minister passed these directives while reviewing the progress of various mega projects during the Infrastructure Chief Minister’s War Room meeting.
Emphasising that infrastructure projects must be completed within a strict window of three to three-and-a-half years, Fadnavis said: “While floating tenders, the evaluation criteria must include the contractor’s track record regarding the timeline taken to complete previous projects.
Delays by contractors result in national and, consequently, state-level financial losses. Therefore, delays in project completion will not be tolerated under any circumstances.” He acknowledged that infrastructure projects face multiple hurdles but stressed that departments must overcome these challenges and move forward proactively.
During a review of the Dharavi Slum Redevelopment Project, the Chief Minister directed officials to initiate the process of granting State GST (SGST) exemptions to Dharavi’s entrepreneurs. This move aims to boost local businesses and transition Dharavi’s massive informal economy into a formal one.
For the redevelopment of BDD Chawls at N M Joshi Marg, Naigaon, and Worli, the CM directed officials to disburse rent to residents, take immediate possession of the current tenements, and commence construction without delay. Fadnavis said that the Thane-Borivali Twin Tunnel Project must be completed within the stipulated deadline.
He mandated setting three-month interim targets to monitor progress. In the case of the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road (GMLR) Project, he directed the administration to set a strict completion deadline of January 2029, noting that this will significantly ease connectivity between the Western and Eastern suburbs.
For the Bandra-Versova Sea Link, Fadnavis asked to accelerate work on this crucial project and resolve outstanding bottlenecks immediately. He also advised keeping fuel supply lines smooth to ensure uninterrupted construction activity across all sites.
For the Virar-Alibaug Multi-Modal Corridor, the Chief Minister ordered the land acquisition process to be fast-tracked. Anticipating a surge in land value along the route post-construction, he urged agencies to strategically plan how the state government can monetise this appreciation.
He suggested demarcating specific zones along the corridor where the government can provide land to investors for targeted industrial development. Further, the Chief Minister called for the swift completion of the Pune Ring Road. He also directed officials to expedite land allotment for the Mula-Mutha River Rejuvenation Project.
With Pune’s metro network expanding, he emphasised the need for an integrated ticketing system. In the case of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Water Supply, the CM asked the Municipal Corporation and the Water Supply Department to work in close coordination, eliminate technical snags, and ensure a seamless and abundant water supply for the city’s residents.