Arvind Sawant Demands Probe Into Rs 1400 Crore Dighi Port Tender

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant has urged Union Commerce and Industries Minister Piyush Goyal to direct the Maharashtra government to conduct a high-level probe into the Rs 1,400 crore tender for the Dighi Port Industrial Area development project in Raigad. Sawant has also demanded that the major infrastructure project be stayed until the investigation is completed.

The tender for the Phase-1 infrastructure development works was awarded by Maharashtra Industrial Township Ltd (MITL). MITL is a Special Purpose Vehicle formed between the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation and the National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation. The entity functions under the Central Government's Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, which falls under Minister Goyal's portfolio.

Highlighting what he termed as serious irregularities in the bidding process, Sawant confirmed he has also written to the Comptroller and Auditor General of India and the Central Vigilance Commission to seek a formal inquiry.

The MP's intervention follows similar objections raised last month by Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC Anil Parab. In May, Parab wrote to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, demanding an inquiry by a senior officer into the tender process. Parab alleged that Ramky Infrastructure Ltd (RIL) had emerged as the lowest (L-1) bidder by quoting rates 12 percent lower than the official estimates through questionable means.

According to Parab, there were severe discrepancies in the experience certificates submitted by RIL. The tender conditions mandated that only projects completed within the last 10 years would be considered eligible. However, Parab claimed that RIL submitted details of a project dating back to 2010–11.

Furthermore, Parab alleged that the completion certificates for similar projects submitted by RIL were self-certified documents issued by its own subsidiaries or affiliated companies. He stated that this represented a deliberate misrepresentation in the tender process. He also pointed out that competing bidders had raised complaints with MITL Chairman P Anbalagan and Managing Director P D Malikner, but these objections were ignored.

Dighi Port is an all-weather, privately operated multipurpose sea port located in Raigad. It handles bulk, break-bulk, liquid, containers, and specialised project cargo. Ramky Infrastructure did not respond to queries regarding the allegations.