L&T's Silence on MMRDA Estimate Request Sparks Transparency Row
Mumbai-based infrastructure giant Larsen & Toubro (L&T) is under scrutiny after failing to respond to an official request from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), seeking detailed cost estimates it had voluntarily disclosed before the Supreme Court. The silence, following a seven-day deadline that expired on June 17, has intensified concerns over corporate accountability in public sector bidding processes.
In a letter dated June 10, MMRDA requested L&T to submit financial estimates, rate justifications, and supporting documents regarding two major infrastructure bids—₹6,498 crore for an underground tunnel from Gaimukh to Fountain Hotel Junction, and ₹5,554 crore for an elevated road stretch up to Bhayander. These figures were presented by L&T during court hearings challenging its disqualification from the tenders.
Although the Supreme Court ultimately dismissed the petition as “infructuous” following MMRDA’s voluntary decision to retender both projects, the agency is now looking to review L&T’s self-declared estimates. The goal is to assess whether these could help set realistic benchmarks for future bids, especially given that fresh tenders are set to be issued under stringent guidelines.
A senior MMRDA official stressed that L&T’s refusal to share financial estimates it voluntarily cited in court undermines trust in the public bidding process. When taxpayer money is involved, legal compliance alone isn’t enough—transparency is non-negotiable. The firm’s silence delays MMRDA’s retendering review and casts doubt over its courtroom claims, especially given its pattern of disqualifications and operational mishaps across key national infrastructure projects.
With fatal construction incidents and the Medigadda collapse still fresh, L&T’s credibility is under intense public and institutional scrutiny. MMRDA’s disqualification—backed by both the Bombay High Court and the Supreme Court—was based on non-disclosure and incomplete bids. Now, by ignoring MMRDA’s formal request, L&T risks deepening concerns around corporate ethics and weakening the foundation of trust essential to India’s infrastructure growth story.
In India’s high-stakes infrastructure sector, corporate accountability must match courtroom rhetoric. L&T’s refusal to back its Supreme Court declarations with documentation threatens public faith in transparent procurement. For a firm that touts engineering leadership, the silence is more damaging than any lost contract. Accountability doesn’t end in court—it begins there.
“We are awaiting L&T’s reply to our letter to them dated 10th June. Once that’s received, we intend to verify the information provided and rework the estimates, with the aid of top experts in the field, so as to be aligned with the spirit of transparency and fairness” – MMRDA Official
