''Irregularities'' by agency staff to delay Navi Mumbai airport works

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Companies ”favoured” for contracts

The state government had earlier this week removed Prashant Thakur as chairman of the City and Industrial Development Corporation, the nodal planning agency for Navi Mumbai, following

allegations against him. The NCP has alleged that Thakur had awarded contracts to the tune of Rs 900 crore to companies linked to him, in violation of rules. The Maharashtra government will now look into contracts awarded on the instruction of Thakur, said sources.

Shiv Kumar

Tribune News Service

Mumbai, January 10

Operations of the Navi Mumbai airport which were to begin by December this year are expected to be delayed following allegations of irregularities by officials of the nodal agency constructing the

facility, said sources.

The Uddhav Thackeray government earlier this week removed Prashant Thakur as chairman of the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), the nodal planning agency for Navi Mumbai, following

allegations against him. The Nationalist Congress Party, which is part of the MVA government in Maharashtra, alleged that Thakur had awarded contracts to the tune of Rs 900 crore to companies linked to him, in violation of rules.

“The Maharashtra government will now look into contracts awarded on the instruction of Thakur to see if any irregularities have been committed by him,” a state government official said.

Thakur is said to be a confidante of former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, said sources.

The Navi Mumbai airport has already witnessed delays with residents of several villages still occupying more than 670 acres of land, CIDCO officials said.

So far, major civil works like levelling a hillock and diverting the river Ulwe have already been completed. “Now, we only need to acquire the land belonging to the villagers so that construction of the runway

and the terminal buildings can begin,” an official said.

Though residents of these villages have accepted alternative plots of land in lieu of the real estate owned by them, these are not developed, which has triggered protests, said officials.