Mumbai: With the contractor of the Rs 122-crore Mumbadevi multi-storey robotic parking project approaching the Bombay High Court, seeking Rs 55 crore in damages over the stay on the project since July 2024, the BMC has extended its Rs 58-crore tender for beautification of the Mumbadevi temple precinct till Sep 30.Last month, the Bombay HC said that when govt officials illegally cancel public projects and this leads to damages being awarded, the officials themselves should pay for it from their own salaries and not the taxpayers. The court made this observation while hearing the case filed by infrastructure company SMS Limited, which challenged the halting of the robotic parking project near Mumbadevi temple.During the last hearing, the HC allowed SMS Limited to update its petition and challenge the new tender, if it turns out to cover the same parking project. It also asked BMC and state govt to submit their replies and fixed the next hearing for Aug 18. The BMC’s tender for the precinct beautification was to close on Aug 17.Additional municipal commissioner Prajakta Lavangare-Verma said she will take information about the court case and look into it.Officials said BMC slashed the original budget for the project from Rs 220 crore to Rs 28 crore. However, officials pointed out that the new revamp plan will affect the plot which is supposed to house the robotic parking tower. “The ongoing parking project is left as is in the new tender. The same work has been put on hold for over 1.5 years; despite this, a tender has been floated for nearby development. Further, this tender is also encroaching on the parking reservation, which is in violation of DP Rules and Regulations,” an official said.According to BMC officials, work on the partly constructed 17-storey robotic parking tower, which can accommodate 600 vehicles, has been stalled since the stay was issued by Narwekar in the legislative assembly in July 2024. Narwekar had stated that he opposed the 17-storey tower, citing concerns from locals that it would harm the aesthetics and heritage of the iconic Mumbadevi temple. Narwekar has said the project raises questions of faith, devotion, and feasibility, as it could obstruct the temple’s view. In Jan 2025, the state UD department had asked Narwekar to decide on the matter. Later, municipal commissioner Bhushan Gagrani warned of cost escalation if delays continued.
