MUMBAI, April 30 -- Linking Kanjurmarg railway station with Vikhroli metro station through a pedestrian bridge will take longer, after the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) scrapped the existing tender process for the project. The proposed foot over bridge (FoB), planned to connect Vikhroli Metro Station on the under-construction Mumbai Metro Line 6 with Kanjurmarg railway station on the Central Railway, will be 740 metres long and is estimated to cost at least Rs.93 crore. The bridge is designed to include travelators, elevators and 25 CCTV cameras. MMRDA had floated bids for the project in November 2025, with a target to complete construction within 18 months of awarding the contract, by mid-2027. "After a comprehensive review of the tender process for the work of the foot over bridge connecting Vikhroli Metro Station and Kanjurmarg Railway Station, we decided to cancel the tender," an MMRDA official said. According to officials, eight bids were received for the project. "Clear instructions were issued to the interested players in February and March to submit clarifications regarding the mandatory eligibility certificates required as per the tender's clauses. However, four companies did not submit the requisite documents, hence, they were declared ineligible as per the rules," the official added. Of the remaining four eligible bidders, only two qualified for financial evaluation, as the other two bidders voluntarily withdrew from the process. As per tendering norms and guidelines set by the Central Vigilance Commission, the process had to be scrapped. The construction work was earlier expected to begin after the 2026 monsoon. "After considering all the aspects, MMRDA has decided to cancel the tender process with the aim of getting a more competitive and comprehensive response. A fresh set of bids will be out soon to link the under-construction Mumbai Metro 6 with the Central Railway," the official said, adding that the cancellation will not impact the Metro Line 6 project, which is scheduled for completion in 2027. The development comes days after Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Anil Parab alleged large-scale rigging and cartelisation in tenders floated by MMRDA for the Vikhroli FoB project. In a letter dated April 28, Basavaraj MB, Director (Projects) Metro, informed Parab that the authority had scrapped the tender and would forfeit the earnest money deposits (EMD) of bidders who withdrew. "The MMRDA has decided to cancel the tender process. This cancellation will not adversely affect the Metro Line-6 project, which is scheduled to be operational in 2027. The earnest money deposits (EMD) of the bidders who withdrew from the tender process are being forfeited, and we are initiating further action in accordance with the tender terms and conditions after due examination," Basavaraj M B stated in his letter. Parab welcomed the decision, stating that it validated his allegations. "I welcome MMRDA's decision to scrap the Vikhroli FoB tender and forfeit the deposits of those bidders who withdrew. This is a clear acknowledgment that my concerns about cartelisation and rigging were valid. However, merely cancelling one tender is not enough. MMRDA must take the strictest possible action, including blacklisting companies involved and ensuring such practices are not repeated," he said....