HC dismisses RInfra's plea on toll collection contract

MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court has dismissed the petition filed by Anil Ambani group company, Reliance Infrastructure, challenging the decision of MSRDC to award the Rs 2,100-crore toll collection contract to MEP Toll Road Pvt Ltd (MEPL).

RInfra, which was disqualified with its consortium partner SKS in the technical bid by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), had filed a petition in the Court in August 2009 challenging the securitisation contract award.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice Dr D Y Chandrachud, however, dismissed the plea saying "it did not find any merit in the petition."

"We are of the view that MSRDC was justified in coming to the conclusion that the bid submitted by RInfra was not responsive on the ground that it did not meet the eligibility criteria," the bench observed.

Seven bidders had submitted their technical and financial bids. Of these, GVK, Reliance-Infra (with Shakti Kumar Sancheti), Sadbhav Engineering (with PBA), Sangam India Limited Joint Venture were disqualified in technical bids, while IL&FS, MEPL and Ashoka Builcon were qualified.

R-Infra, however, withdrew from financial bidding following its disqualification and also took back the earnest money deposit.