Congress corporator Ravindra Pawar told reporters that BMC is paying the price for having ``super-smart'' project administrators who are not around to see the damages their decisions have wrought. The 7 km Bandra tunnel was built in 1984 at Rs 13 crore. World Bank consultants Binnie and Partners said there were serious defects in its lining, and repairs are estimated to be whopping Rs 99 cr.

The administration has also decided to abandon the 3 km Ghatkopar tunnel constructed under the Bombay II Project and whose engineering was done by a consortium of three firms. Built at a cost of over Rs 4.21 crore, work on the tunnel commenced in 1988 and was completed in 1991. However it has not been connected to a pumping station till today. B & P, whoalso inspected the tunnel, said that while the tunnel was built at depth of 30 metres, the sewage pumping station is at a height over 10 metres.

This basic miscalculation is now proving costly. BMC's new proposal envisages building the tunnel at 20 metres to connect it with the new pumping station. The total cost to will be Rs 60 crore. Repairs to the old tunnel would cost Rs 77 crore besides desilting sludge every five years. The administration feels it is better to go in for a new tunnel altogether.The issue is expected to create conflict at the Standing Committee meeting on Friday.