Overview

• The Supreme Court raised transparency and public interest concerns over L&T’s unexplained exclusion from technical bids for a 9.8 km elevated road and 5 km twin tunnel.
• L&T’s bids were over Rs 3,100 crore lower than Megha Engineering & Infrastructure Ltd’s offer, potentially saving public funds.
• MMRDA and the Maharashtra government defended the disqualification, citing “substantial grounds” and tender clauses that bar pre-award disclosure of rejection reasons.
• Chief Justice B.R. Gavai highlighted public money at stake and referenced a recent Uttarakhand tunnel incident to underscore the need for rigorous safety and competence checks.
• The authority has 24 hours to inform the court whether it will re-tender, with the next hearing scheduled for May 30.