MMRCL’s sale of Nariman Point land to RBI caused Rs 1,800 cr loss to exchequer, claims Congress

The Congress on Thursday alleged that the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRCL) sold a 4.2-acre plot in Nariman Point area of south Mumbai to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in an “arbitrary” manner, and claimed the deal caused Rs 1,800 crore loss to the state exchequer.

The party’s state unit spokesperson Sachin Sawant said the transaction was carried out without inviting tenders.

“The same plot earlier housed the offices of several political parties, including the Congress. We were asked to vacate it for the construction of a metro station and we shifted to a rented office. We were given a clear assurance of permanent relocation in the same area after completion of the project,” Sawant said.

Before finalising the land sale, the MMRCL should have held consultations with the stakeholders, particularly political parties that had offices there, he said.

“But the entire deal has been executed without any such consultation. It was done in an arbitrary and high-handed manner. It has caused an estimated loss of around Rs 1,800 crore to the state exchequer. This is highly objectionable,” the Congress leader added.

Nariman Point is considered Mumbai’s business district.

According to sources, the MMRCL land was sold at Rs 3,472 crore.