Shivaji Memorial Project: PWD Proposes One-Year Deadline Extension To Contractor

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The contract for the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Memorial Project was handed to Larsen & Toubro (L&T) just under three years ago in October 2018. A new report by the Indian Express reveals that the Maharashtra Public Works Department (PWD) is now offering a one-year extension to L&T without cost escalation.

Sources familiar with the matter said that a final call on the extension of the deadline will be taken by the state government. As per the PWD, the extension is justified given that works on the project have stopped since January 2019 based on a Supreme Court order. Meanwhile, the contractor has only concluded a bathymetry survey and a partial geotechnical survey at the location.

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Any of the other works for this project have not started, with the PWD clarifying that no payments have been made to the contractor as of yet. The overall cost of the memorial is expected to be around ₹3,600 crores.

The agency further said that factors like the coronavirus pandemic, the court cases against the project, as well as the objections put forth by the CAG’s Accountant General regarding the tender process were the reasons behind seeking a deadline extension. The original contract ends on the 28th of October, 2021. It was signed in October 2018 for a period of 36 months.

The project hit the first of many setbacks in January 2019 when the Supreme Court asked the state government to cease construction at the site. Shortly after, the PWD issued a stop-work notice to the contractor.

The proposed Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj memorial has a height of 212 metres which includes a 123.2-metre equestrian statue on top of an 88.8-metre pedestal. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the key dignitaries present for the ‘jalpoojan’ ceremony of the project in 2016.

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