The Supreme Court Friday refused to pause the project underway for the redevelopment of Dharavi, Asia’s largest slum, in Mumbai, being undertaken by the Adani Group.

The court was hearing an appeal filed by Dubai-based Seclink Technology Corporation (STC) challenging the Bombay High Court’s December 19, 2024, order upholding the Maharashtra government’s decision to issue a fresh tender in 2022 to the Adani Group after cancelling a 2019 bid which it won.

A bench of Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar declined a status quo order after it was informed that the work had already progressed.

Appearing for the Adani Group, Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi said machinery worth crores of rupees had been purchased and hundreds of workers had already started working at the site, including the demolition of an Indian Railways quarters on the site.

The bench asked the Group to maintain an escrow account and ensure that all project-related payments are channelled through this single account and to maintain proper invoices, brochures etc.

Appearing for Seclink, Senior Advocate C Aryama Sundaram said the company was ready to increase its original bid of Rs 7,200 crore by 20 per cent, touching Rs 8,640 crore. The bench asked him to file an affidavit explaining this revised offer.

On December 19, 2024, the Bombay High Court dismissed STC’s plea challenging the formal award and work order for the Dharavi Redevelopment Project in favour of Adani Properties Private Limited. It rejected allegations that the tender conditions were “tailor-made” to suit the Adani group and oust other bidders, and found the claim to be “misconceived”.

STC had challenged the July 13, 2023 government resolution (GR) of the state housing department to formally award the project to Adani Properties as the lead partner in the project, and the subsequent work order issued on July 17 last year.

In November 2022, Adani Properties won the bid to redevelop nearly 259 hectares of slum area in Central Mumbai. Adani Group was declared the highest bidder after it quoted Rs 5,069 crore and with the Rs 2,800 crore payment to the railways, the bid amount stood at Rs 7,869 crore.

Source : indianexpress