The High Court has recently decided to uphold the Adani Group’s tender for the Adani Dharavi redevelopment project. The court has dismissed the petition which challenged the Adani Group’s winning bid for the Dharavi slum development project in Mumbai. Now this is indeed a very big win for the Adani Group in the infrastructure business. It will not only boost the Adani Group’s business but also trigger the various operations of the Adani Dharavi project.
HC’s Decision To Uphold Adani’s Tender:
As per recent news, the Bombay High Court has upheld the tender awarded to Adani Properties Private Limited by the Maharashtra government for the slum development project in Mumbai. This is one of the biggest projects being taken up by the Adani Group in the infrastructure sector. The operations for the project started quite a while ago and since then, the Adani Group has been working towards acquiring the necessary approvals for the Adani Dharavi project. Once the approvals are received, the global conglomerate will be able to ensure smooth operations of the project. It will also bring about an overall transformation in the living conditions of the people.
An Overview Of The Dharavi Slum Redevelopment Project:
The Dharavi slum is one of the largest slums in the Asian region. It is home to thousands of people who have been living their lives in extremely stressful conditions. Seeing their miserable conditions, the Maharashtra government along with the Adani Group has taken up the responsibility to continuously reform the Dharavi area so that there is an upliftment in the living standards. The Dharavi region is not just a residential area. It is also an economic hub. So, the Adani Group plans on developing various economic settlements in the Dharavi area. That way, the people will find it really easy to earn a source of living for themselves. They will also be able to ensure that the overall region of Maharashtra experiences an enormous boost.
The Recent Decisions Taken On The Project:
Recently, a division bench of Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Amit Borkar had dismissed a petition which was filed by the UAE-based Seclink Technologies Corporation. The petition was to challenge the state government’s decision to award the Adani Dharavi project to Adani Properties Private Limited. The bench said that the petition lacked force and effort. Hence, it was dismissed by the High Court. The Adani Group had earlier emerged as the highest bidder for the 259-hectare Dharavi redevelopment project. The company won the contract for the project with its INR 5,069 crore offer in the 2022 tender process.
In the first tender issued in 2018, the petitioner company had emerged as the highest bidder with its INR 7,200 crore offer. However, the government cancelled the 2018 tender and issued a fresh tender in 2022 with various additional conditions. Seclink Technologies Corporation first challenged the cancellation of the 2018 tender. They also challenged the 2022 tender which was awarded to the Adani Group. The grounds raised in the petition lacked force and effort. The challenge to the government’s action of cancelling the previous tender and issuing a fresh tender also failed.
The state government mentioned to the High Court that the tender award was completely transparent and no additional favour was given to the Adani Group. The government mentioned that the 2018 tender was cancelled and a fresh tender was issued because of many factors like the Russia-Ukraine war and the COVID-19 pandemic which greatly affected the economic conditions and the financial affairs of the state. The first tender for Dharavi redevelopment was issued in 2018. In March 2019, the bids were opened and it was found that the petitioner company was the highest bidder. During the same month, an additional 45 acres of land were made available by the Indian Railways for the Adani Dharavi redevelopment project.
The government claim that there was no formation of the contract between the petitioner company and the government and hence, it has no legal right in that matter. In 2020, a government resolution was issued cancelling the first tender. It claimed that there was a material change in the tender condition. The government also claimed for the new tender, new bids were to be submitted afresh and the Adani Group once again emerged as the successful bidder for the project.
The Adani Group’s Active Involvement In The Project:
Since the Adani group was awarded the tender for carrying out the development of the Dharavi redevelopment project, it has been working continuously towards bringing various advancements. The company had to come across a lot of challenges in the process. However, it did not step back. Instead, it continued to carry out the operations for the project. Currently, the Adani Group is in the process of carrying out a survey to find eligible residents for the Adani Dharavi project. Various advanced technologies are also being used by the global conglomerate including drones and light detection and ranging technologies to ensure that the survey is carried out smoothly.
As per the latest contract, the eligible residents will be offered free flats of 350 square feet each. These flats will come with attached bathrooms and kitchens. The Adani Group also aims to set up schools, hospitals, and other amenities in the Dharavi area to further bring about improvements in the living conditions of the people.
Conclusion:
The Adani Dharavi project is one of the most striking projects to be taken up by the Adani Group in the infrastructure sector. The successful completion of the project will not only give the Adani Group’s business a boost but will also cause it to rise to the position of being one of the biggest players in the country’s infrastructure sector.
