As Mumbai gears for elections to the February 1 Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, the sudden announcement of the model code of conduct by the Maharashtra election commission has frozen a slew of work orders, tender announcements and policy decisions till the entire poll process gets over.

The worst hit is the multi-crore Dharavi Redevelopment Project which missed its global tender announcement by a whisker. With hardly 48 hours to go for tenders to be announced simultaneously in 16 cities across the world for the already delayed project — it’s been nearly five years since it was officially accepted — the model code of conduct kicked in.

“It’s true,” said Dharavi project management consultant Mukesh Mehta, “we’ll have to wait some more. That’s life I guess.” The project had promised to add 535 acres to the rapidly emptying supply of buildable open space in Mumbai. The real estate sector now has to wait for another two months before things can move.

Also stalled by the code of conduct is the move to bring in a Cabinet proposal to share the cost of the rail component of the showcase Mumbai Urban Transport Project II — pegged at Rs 4,000 crore, it will include new rail tracks between Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus and Kalyan, Churchgate and Virar, increase in the frequency of trains, shift from DC to AC power and the addition of 96 new rakes for both Western and Central railways. The Cabinet proposal could not even be drafted.

Another big victim is the Rs 1,600-crore Middle Vaitarna Water Supply project, whose big tenders can now be floated only after the polls. A Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission project of the BMC, it seeks to add 455 million litres per day to Mumbai’s water supply.

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