MMRDA to rope in PR firms for new image

Pre-poll move comes as infra body under fire for project delays

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), under attack for delays in transport infrastructure projects, plans to rope in a public relation firm for an image makeover.

MMRDA has organised presentations by public relations (PR) agencies on Friday.

On condition of anonymity, an MMRDA official told Business Standard, “Four agencies — Adfactors, Lintas, Brandsale and Paramin — have been asked to make comprehensive presentations on PR strategies and implementations. MMRDA expects to shell out Rs 1 crore annually towards PR charges.” The agency would supplement, not supplant, MMRDA’s publicity and corporate communications department, he added.

Earlier, political parties, business chambers and non-governmental organisations had attacked MMRDA, as well as the state government, for delays in transport infrastructure projects. Also, deteriorating road conditions had led to differences between MMRDA and the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai over the issue of jurisdiction.

In the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, projects worth about Rs 60,000 crore are under various stages of implementation.

The Rs 2,460-crore Monorail project, initially scheduled to be completed in 2010 but rescheduled for December 2012, is still under construction. The first phase of the 8.8-km line, earlier expected to be opened to passengers by mid-September, would be operational by November. The second phase (10.74 km) would be further delayed. Delays in securing environment and railway clearances, relocation of religious structures, etc, had slowed the project.

The 11.4-km, Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar fully-elevated Mumbai Metro line-I, which involved an investment of Rs 2,356 crore, was scheduled to be completed by the end of last year. Now, it is expected to be operational in 2014. Work on the Mumbai Metro-II project, awarded in 2010, is yet to begin for want of several clearances.

The Rs 9,360-crore Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (Sewri and Nhava Sheva) project tendered in 2008 was scrapped. Though it was re-tendered in 2009, it didn’t receive a strong response. After a three-year delay, the project was tendered a third time and MMRDA shortlisted five bidders. The Centre had agreed to provide Rs 1,920 crore as viability gap funding. However, none of the five shortlisted bidders submitted tenders last month. Now, the government is planning to develop the project on an engineering-procurement-construction basis.