Dharavi redevelopment plan: MHADA's search for project consultant gets longer.

Despite having started work on a fraction of the much-delayed Dharavi redevelopment plan, the state housing authority's efforts to get a management consultant on board for the project have drawn a blank.

The Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) has been unable to get a project management consultant for Dharavi's Sector 5, out of the five sectors, which the authority is developing, despite having attempted to tender out the contract on two occasions. MHADA is currently in its third attempt at tendering out the project. The authority had floated the first tender in May.

N K Sudhanshu, chief officer of MHADA's Mumbai board, said, 'The first time we got three responses. One firm was disqualified, while quotations of the other two were very high. The second time, only one company responded to the tender. We have now made changes to the eligibility criteria so that we get a better response.'

He said that the authority had a pre-bid meeting recently in the third round of tendering and six potential bidders had participated. 'So, hopefully, we will have a better response this time around,' added Sudhanshu.

The authority is looking for a project management consultant to prepare a detailed plan based on the layout for Dharavi's Sector 5, coordinate with different agencies for clearances, supervise the work of contractors and help in determining the eligibility of slum residents, among others.

THE INDIAN EXPRESS