CHENNAI: The state government has assured the Madras High Court that no contract will be awarded for the six-lane elevated road project on the East Coast Road (ECR) until a decision is taken on the appeal filed against the rejection of the tender.
The project, proposed by the Tamil Nadu State Highways Authority (TNSHA), involves widening the busy ECR stretch from Tiruvanmiyur to Uthandi into a six-lane corridor.
The ECR is one of Chennai’s key arterial roads, connecting the city with its southern suburbs and several coastal settlements. The proposed elevated road is part of the state government’s broader plan to improve urban mobility and reduce travel time along high-density corridors.
TNSHA had issued a tender notification for the project on August 25 last year, inviting bids from eligible infrastructure companies. During the process, the technical bid submitted by Dilip Buildcon, a Bhopal-based construction firm, was rejected by the authorities.
Challenging TNSHA’s decision, the company approached the High Court. A single judge of the High Court, however, dismissed the petition, observing that the company had approached the court even before the tender process was completed and the final contract was awarded.
Following this, Dilip Buildcon filed an appeal against the single judge’s order. The appeal came up for hearing before a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice MM Shrivastava and Justice G Arul Murugan.
During the hearing, counsel for the petitioner’s company argued that the tender was rejected with mala fide intent.
On behalf of the state government, it was submitted that the company could file an appeal before the government against the tender rejection, and that a decision would be taken within 10 days. Until then, as per the earlier HC order, no contract would be awarded.
Recording this assurance, the judges permitted the petitioner company to file its appeal before the government within 5 days and directed the authorities to decide it within 10 days. They also ordered that no contract should be granted until such a decision is taken, and accordingly disposed of the appeal.