Pay Rs20 crore for done work, take MTHL project: MSRDC

Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan’s decision to hand over the Rs8,300-crore Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) project to Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA) has not gone down well with the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC).

The MSRDC which is led by senior NCP minister Jaidutt Kshirsagar has decided to seek Rs20crore compensation from the MMRDA for initial investments in the feasibility study.

Highly placed sources in the ministry revealed to DNA, “After the chief minister gave his consent to hand over the project to MMRDA, we could not contest our claim. But we have conveyed our disappointment to the concerned authorities.”

The MMRDA is headed by Chavan and Kshirsagar is from the NCP. The claim over the project has lead to Congress-NCP divide which was reflected when Chhagan Bhujbal had questioned Chavan for defining the role of MMRDA. The NCP feels Chavan sides with MMRDA as it is under Congress control.

What has irked the minister is that they have dismissed all  work done by the MSRDC. Sources in the ministry said, “We were ready with the entire feasibility report of the project. We even got the environment clearance. The project was about to roll and they have taken it away from our department on grounds of the delay.”