Mumbai — The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has asked Larsen & Toubro (L&T) to formally submit the financial estimates it had claimed in affidavits before the Supreme Court, following the cancellation of tenders for two major infrastructure projects — an underground tunnel from Gaimukh to Fountain Hotel Junction and an elevated road from Fountain Junction to Bhayander.
L&T had participated in the bidding process but was disqualified after the technical evaluation. The company then approached the Bombay High Court, questioning this decision of MMRDA. While the High Court initially stayed the bid opening process, it later dismissed L&T’s petition on May 20, noting that the company had suppressed material facts. The Court upheld MMRDA’s evaluation process and allowed the agency to proceed. On L&T’s request, however, the court directed that its financial bids be preserved for two weeks. L&T then moved the Supreme Court against the High Court ruling. During the proceedings, L&T voluntarily disclosed its financial quotes, claiming its bids were significantly lower than other responsive bidders — ₹6,498 crore for the tunnel and ₹5,554 crore for the elevated road. In response, MMRDA argued that as per government e-tendering protocol, the financial bids of disqualified bidders cannot be opened. However, in the spirit of transparency and public interest, MMRDA proposed to cancel the tender process altogether and initiate a fresh one with revised base estimates.
The Supreme Court took note of MMRDA’s stand and dismissed L&T’s petitions as “infructuous,” formally closing the matter. The supreme has fairly decided to scarp the tender. court also stated Importantly, the Court did not interfere with the Bombay High Court order. This effectively upheld L&T’s disqualification and validated the legality of the tender clause that required disclosure of past project collapses — the very clause that L&T had contested from the beginning. With the High Court order now affirmed by the apex court, MMRDA’s process stands vindicated both technically and legally. In light of the financial figures L&T submitted voluntarily in court, MMRDA has now asked the company to furnish its detailed estimates, supporting documents, rate analysis, and justifications. This will help the authority verify whether the claims made on affidavit were financially viable and if they could be used to set more competitive base rates in the upcoming retender.
Why MMRDA Cannot Open L&T’s Previous Bid
MMRDA cannot access L&T’s financial estimates from the previous tender because, under the rules of the MahaTender system, bids submitted by disqualified participants are not permitted to be opened. After MMRDA informed the Supreme Court that it was voluntarily cancelling the tender process in public interest, the court disposed of the matter, rendering the entire process void. Since the bids are now legally and technically sealed, MMRDA has requested L&T to officially submit the financial estimates it had voluntarily disclosed in court, so that the data can be reviewed afresh by the Tender Review Committee comprising professors and technical experts from IIT etc
Disqualification of L&T
L&T was disqualified earlier for two specific reasons: non-submission of key documents related to the Medigadda barrage collapse, and failure to meet eligibility conditions regarding past project failures. This was not a procedural rejection—an expert team from IIT Bombay had physically inspected the collapsed barrage site and their findings were supported by an official letter from the Telangana Government confirming that the structure had failed and required full reconstruction. Accordingly, MMRDA declared L&T’s bid as “non-responsive” based on its own clearly stated tender conditions.
MMRDA Seeks L&T’s Price Details After SC Disclosure; Bids Remain Legally Sealed
