{
  "id": 14544092,
  "title": "Bombay HC Lifts Decade-Old Stay On Kalu Dam, Allows KIDC To Float Fresh Tender For ₹4,900-Crore Project",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/14/bombay-hc-lifts-decade-old-stay-on-kalu-dam-allows-kidc-to-float",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-14T21:34:18.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Press Journal",
    "slug": "free-press-journal",
    "url": "https://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/bombay-hc-lifts-decade-old-stay-on-kalu-dam-allows-kidc-to-float-fresh-tender-for-4900-crore-project"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Mumbai, October 14, 2026: The Bombay High Court has lifted a near-decade-old injunction that had halted progress on the Kalu Dam project, enabling the Konkan Irrigation Development Corporation (KIDC) to issue a new call for bids. The project's estimated financial outlay has grown from Rs 657 crore in 2016 to approximately Rs 4,900 crore. The Kalu Dam, situated on the Kalu River in Murbad taluka of Thane district, is intended to provide 1,140 million litres of water daily to urban areas within the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. The project's stagnation has impacted eight municipal corporations and nine municipal councils, encompassing Mumbai, Thane, and Ulhasnagar. A panel comprising Justices Manish Pitale and Shreeram Shirsat vacated an interim order issued on December 7, 2016, in a lawsuit filed by F.A. Enterprises challenging a notice requesting the withdrawal of its contract for the project. The earlier ruling had prevented KIDC from issuing contracts to any party other than the petitioner. Because the order remained in effect for nearly a decade, the corporation was unable to proceed with a new contract application. KIDC, represented by senior attorney Rajiv Chavan, sought permission from the court to continue with the project and initiate a new tendering process, citing the extended delay and the project's significance for regional water supply. Chavan cited a June 8, 2021, order in related cases, in which another bench allowed KIDC to execute irrigation projects through the original petitioner or any other eligible party, provided proper procedures were followed. KIDC argued before the court that an Anti-Corruption Bureau inquiry had not uncovered corruption, significant irregularities, or illegality in the project's execution. The corporation also claimed that it had revised its policies to prevent any irregularities. F.A. Enterprises contended that the court should hear its main suit instead of vacating the interim protection. The contractor contested responsibility for the delay, asserting that securing forest clearances was the corporation's duty. KIDC maintained that obtaining the clearances was the contractor's responsibility. The bench did not decide the dispute over responsibility for the delay but expressed inclination to lift the interim order, considering the directives issued in the related cases. The court deliberated on disposing of the principal petition as well but decided against finalizing it after the contractor's lawyer stated that other matters needed consideration.",
  "summary": "Mumbai, October 14, 2026: The Bombay High Court has lifted a nearly 10-year-old interim stay that stalled work on the Kalu Dam project, allowing the Konkan Irrigation Development Corporation (KIDC) to float a fresh tender. The project's estimated cost has escalated from Rs 657 crore in 2016 to around Rs 4,900 crore. Project Delay Affects Regional Water Supply Proposed on the Kalu River in Murbad…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}