Seven infrastructure projects worth almost Rs8,500 crore will be peer reviewed prior to their execution. All these seven projects are from Thane, the area where Chief Minister Eknath Shinde comes from.
The Projects
The seven projects that will undergo peer review are:
- Balkum–Gaimukh Thane coastal road
- Eastern Freeway extension
- Anand Nagar–Saket elevated road
- Katai Naka–H4 elevated road
- Gaimukh–Paiyegaon creek bridge
- Kasarvadavli–Kharbao creek bridge
- Kolshet–Kalher creek bridge
All these seven projects combined sum up to Rs8,445 crore.
Reasons for Opting for Peer Review
Justifying the ‘peer review’, an MMRDA official called it “as the best industry practice”. Globally, peer review is done to ensure any flaws in the techno-economic feasibility as well as design and clearances are fleshed out. For example, Balkum–Gaimukh Thane coastal road has been planned but has hit a hurdle due to land acquisition related issues at Mogharpada village off Ghodbunder Road.
It will be during this exercise that flaws in the previous consultant’s reports, if any, would come to the fore and the same can be rectified.
MMRDA to Check DPR Made by Individual Consultants
Prior to proceeding with the bid invitation, MMRDA wants to check the Detailed Project Reports (DPR) prepared by individual consultants through a third party. The scope will include a DPR, reconnaissance survey, traffic survey, traffic projections, alternatives of the project, techno-economic feasibility studies, whether the project can be implemented or is likely to be inadvertently delayed due to the anticipated problems, reviewing clearances required, etc.
In the past, in Mumbai, there were a few high ticket value projects such as Mumbai Coastal Road that were peer reviewed by a second consultant.
