Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has proposed to hike the contract value for structural repairs on three flyovers along the Santacruz-Chembur Link Road (SCLR) by a whopping 52%, citing deterioration of the structures identified during a fresh inspection by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay.
However, before work commenced, the competent authority directed that the structures be reassessed by IIT Bombay. The report noted structural deterioration in various components of the flyovers compared to two years ago, when the first audit was conducted, expanding the scope and quantity of repairs required. Based on IIT Bombay’s recommendations, the civic body’s technical consultant revised the estimated cost of repairs. The civic body has requested the standing committee and the bridges committee (suburbs) to consider the proposal simultaneously. The contractor will also be required to pay the applicable security deposit on the increased contract amount, along with stamp duty and other prescribed charges.
According to the proposal submitted by the municipal commissioner to the BMC standing committee on October 7, the contract for repairing the three flyovers was awarded to Freyssinet India Pvt Ltd following the approval of standing committee vide resolution no. 1945 on March 19, 2025. The contract value was ₹ 25.84 crore, and the stipulated deadline for completion was 15 months from the date of commencement of work on June 23, 2025. The BMC has now proposed to revise the contract value to ₹ 39.28 crore, an increase of approximately ₹ 13.44 crore, and extend the project deadline by six months, from September 22, 2026, till March 21, 2027. The proposal says that original repair estimates for the three flyovers were based on structural audits conducted in May 2023 by Structonics Consulting Engineers, the technical consultant appointed by the BMC’s bridges department. Accordingly, Professor Souvik Banerjee from IIT Bombay inspected the flyovers in July 2025 and submitted his report the following month. On April 21 this year, the BMC’s technical cost variation committee approved the revised expenditure, while the commissioner granted administrative approval for the proposed variation within his powers, stating that the additional work was essential and must be carried out along with the original repairs. The proposal has been submitted to the standing committee under relevant provisions of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act, 1888. The BMC has indicated that the additional expenditure will be met from budgetary provisions for bridge projects, and necessary funds will be provided in the revised estimates for 2026-27 and subsequent budgets.
