The new tender issued in 2022 for the Dharavi slum redevelopment project in Mumbai was transparent and no undue favour was shown to the highest bidder Adani Group, the Maharashtra government said in a report submitted to the Bombay High Court. Earlier this month, the government had submitted its affidavit in response to a petition filed by the UAE-based company Seclink Technologies Corporation, challenging the government's decision awarding the project to Adani Properties Private Ltd.
“The petitioner has made unfounded and reckless allegations such as actions of respondents being politically motivated without any basis or material as indeed none exists. For making such reckless allegations alone, the writ petition deserves to be dismissed with costs," the affidavit said, according to a report by The Economic Times.
A division bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Arif Doctor will hear the plea on Thursday.
The affidavit filed by the deputy secretary of the state housing department said the petitioner company has made "false and baseless accusations that the cancellation of the old tender was politically motivated" and these allegations are denied.
"I say that the cancellation of the tender process has been conducted after following proper process. I further deny that the new tender was floated to favor Respondent No. 3 (Adani). I say that the new tender process was conducted in absolutely transparent manner and in fact the new tender attracted more bidders than those who had participated in the old tender," the affidavit said.
The allegations made by the petitioner are far-fetched and implausible, it added.
The government said that the Dharavi redevelopment project serves a vital public purpose, which will change the lives of thousands of persons presently living in squalor and disrespectful conditions.
"Any attempt made by persons to derail this redevelopment project should be thwarted as any stay on such projects would seriously impede the execution of the redevelopment project (which are of vital public importance)," it said.
The Adani Group had emerged as the highest bidder for the 259-hectare Dharavi Redevelopment Project and bagged it with its Rs 5,069 crore bid in the 2022 tender process.
In the first tender issued in 2018, the petitioner company had emerged as the highest bidder with its Rs 7,200 crore bid.
The government's decision to cancel the 2018 tender and issue a fresh tender in 2022 with additional conditions was challenged in the HC by Seclink Technologies Corporation.
The government in an earlier affidavit filed in February this year said the 2018 tender was cancelled and a fresh tender was issued in 2022 because of several factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia-Ukraine war which affected the financial and economic state of affairs.
