HC dismisses Reliance energy's petition

Mumbai, June 4 (UNI) The Bombay High Court today dismissed a petition filed by Reliance Energy Ltd, challenging the decision of Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) to disqualify it's consortium from participating in bids for Mumbai Trans Harbour Link project, a six-lane bridge between Sewri and Nhava Sheva.

Upholding the decision of MSRDC to disqualify Reliance Energy consortium on financial grounds, a Division bench of Justice J N Patel and Justice S C Dharmadhikari ruled that ''the petitioner company does not deserve any opportunity to have their consortium to be considered any further in the bid process''.

However, the court thought it appropriate to grant time to the petitioner company to approach the Supreme Court and hence continued an interim order restraining MSRDC from opening bids for two more weeks from today.

The state government had decided to construct a 22.5-km-long, six-lane bridge between Sewri and Nhava Sheva to connect Mumbai with mainland from northern side. MSRDC has been entrusted by the state cabinet with the project, which will cost around Rs 2600 crore. The project is to be developed on Build, Operate and Transfer basis.

The MSRDC had invited global bids for the project for ascertaining financial and technical capabilities of the bidders, in August 2004.

Reliance Energy consortium's pre-qualification bid was rejected on financial grounds as the consortium failed to show up necessary ''net cash profit'' and it was disqualified for further bidding process.

UNI