Mumbai Mega Water Scam: Brokers Exposed.

Mumbai’s Mega Water Scam

• Tender Rigging Exposed

• Brokers Rule BMC Projects

• CVC Norms Thrown Out

Unmesh Gujarathi
Sprouts News Exclusive
Contact: +91 9322755098

Sprouts News Investigation Team (SIT), under the leadership of Editor-in-Chief Unmesh Gujarathi, has uncovered shocking irregularities in Mumbai’s Bhandup and Panjrapur water purification tender processes. Evidence reveals blatant violations of CVC guidelines, manipulated eligibility criteria, and favoritism toward select contractors. This deep-rooted nexus of brokers and officials demands urgent government intervention.

Sprouts SIT Exposes Massive Corruption in BMC Water Purification Tenders

Tender Scam in Bhandup and Panjrapur Projects Raises Alarms

The Sprouts News Investigation Team (SIT), led by Editor-in-Chief Unmesh Gujarathi, has uncovered glaring irregularities in two critical Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) tenders—the ₹4,376 crore Bhandup Water Purification Project and the Panjrapur Plant (₹910 MLD). These tenders, crucial to Mumbai’s water infrastructure, have become a hotbed for corruption, with evidence pointing to deliberate bid manipulation, CVC norm violations, and contractor favoritism.

The Bhandup complex tender was floated on 10 October 2023, yet postponed six times, only to return with a revised 7th corrigendum. This included a crucial eligibility clause change demanding Indian experience, effectively eliminating global competitors. Industry insiders and SIT sources confirm this helped tailor eligibility to benefit a specific bidder—notably involving technology partner Veolia, who was already part of past controversial tenders.

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Central Vigilance Guidelines Ignored to Benefit Select Firms

According to documents accessed by the SIT, the revised eligibility criteria in the Bhandup tender violate the Central Vigilance Commission’s (CVC) procurement guidelines, which mandate open, fair, and competitive bidding. By restricting criteria to “Indian experience,” officials blocked global participation, resulting in bid rigging to favor a pre-decided player.

Further investigation revealed that the final awarded tender was nearly 30% higher than the original estimate. Despite red flags, the BMC proceeded. Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant and other party leaders including Sureshchandra Rajhans, Mohsin Haider, and Nizamuddin Rayeen have openly demanded a judicial probe into this systematic loot of public money.

Panjrapur Tender: Postponed Eight Times, Then Cancelled

Similar manipulations surfaced in the Panjrapur Water Treatment Plant project. The tender was first released on 24 September 2024, but was postponed eight times, only to be abruptly cancelled due to “lack of response.” However, SIT’s findings show that this may have been a deliberate strategy to deter unwanted bidders and delay the process until favorable conditions emerged.

The project was again floated on 30 April 2025, followed by yet another corrigendum on 11 July 2025, extending the deadline to 31 July 2025. Shockingly, minutes from pre-bid meetings haven’t even been published—raising concerns about transparency and administrative compliance. These irregularities point to a concerted attempt to benefit one contractor—believed to be the same group favored in Bhandup.

Brokers, Forgery, and Political Collusion: A Deep Nexus

The SIT team has consistently followed this story, gathering testimony from insiders at Mantralaya and contractors who allege that brokers are freely operating in the tendering process, with official blessings. Sources also named an individual referred to as “SB” as a key broker influencing tender awards.

Notably, Mithi River development tenders also witnessed similar manipulation, and SIT had earlier exposed brokers involved in that scandal too. It’s increasingly clear that a select group of brokers and officials are managing high-value civic tenders across multiple departments, manipulating eligibility and timelines to benefit a few firms—often at 30–40% inflated project rates.

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Demand for CBI Probe as Public Funds Are Looted

The SIT’s repeated revelations show that these are not isolated incidents. They are part of a systemic pattern of tender manipulation in Mumbai’s civic projects. The ₹4,376 crore Bhandup project and Panjrapur’s repeatedly rigged tender expose how citizen funds are being looted under the guise of development.

Sprouts News Investigation Team now calls for a CBI-led inquiry into the tendering processes of both projects, scrutiny of bidder eligibility manipulations, and accountability for officials involved. This corruption is not just financial—it affects the quality of public infrastructure in Mumbai, and by extension, millions of lives.