BMC Seeks Approval for Rs 9.9 Lakh Traffic Study at Nepean Sea Road
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has approached its Standing Committee to secure post-facto approval for appointing a private consultant to perform a specialized traffic simulation study at the Nepean Sea Road access points of the Mumbai Coastal Road. The civic body awarded the work to Philip Infra Consultancy Services Pvt Ltd for an amount of Rs 9.9 lakh, excluding Goods and Services Tax (GST), without floating a public tender.
According to an official proposal placed before the Standing Committee, the traffic simulation study was deemed essential to evaluate vehicle movement and overall traffic flow at the Nepean Sea Road interchange. As one of the key entry and exit points to the Mumbai Coastal Road project, the interchange experiences significant vehicular activity. The civic administration intends to use the findings of the study to recommend measures aimed at improving overall traffic movement and reducing congestion around the interchange area.
In its proposal, the BMC detailed the reasons behind bypassing the conventional public tender process for this assignment. The civic administration stated that there is currently no empanelled schedule of traffic simulation consultants available for such specialized work within the civic framework. Furthermore, the traffic simulation task is not included in the municipal body's Unified Schedule of Rates (USOR).
Rather than issuing a public tender, the civic administration called for direct quotations from consultants meeting its prescribed eligibility criteria. Three firms responded with quotes for the project. Philip Infra Consultancy Services Pvt Ltd emerged as the lowest bidder by quoting Rs 9.9 lakh excluding GST. Among the other bidders, MRG Consultants and Developers quoted Rs 10.98 lakh excluding GST, while Casta Engineers Pvt Ltd submitted a quote of Rs 11.2 lakh excluding GST.
The proposal submitted to the Standing Committee indicates that Philip Infra Consultancy Services Pvt Ltd has already completed the assigned traffic simulation study at the site. Because the contract was awarded and executed prior to formal committee approval, the civic administration is now seeking retrospective ratification from the Standing Committee to formally validate the appointment and expenditure.
