UAE-based Seclink Technologies Corporation (STC) has moved India’s Bombay High Court to challenge the Maharashtra state government’s decision to issue a fresh tender for the redevelopment of Dharavi, which was finally awarded to Indian billionaire Gautam Adani’s real estate unit, according to a report in the English daily Hindustan Times.

Adani Enterprises won the right to redevelop Dharavi, one of Asia’s biggest slum clusters, with a ₹50 billion ($612 million) bid.

The company, which made a successful bid for the ₹28.57-billion  ($3.45 billion) project in 2019, contended that the retender was an attempt to keep them out of the race to favour the bidder of their choice.

The high court has directed the state government to file its reply before January 12, 2023, the report said.

In November 2020, the UAE firm filed a petition in the high court, seeking damages to the tune of ₹100 billion following the cancellation of its bids by the state government. It had also sought directions for reinstatement of the award to the highest bidder.

In November 2022, STC sought to amend the petition and include a challenge to the fresh tender, which the court accepted.

In February 2019, STC emerged as the highest bidder (₹72 billion) to transform India’s largest slum outbidding Adani Infrastructure and Developers Private Limited (₹45.39 billion).

(Editing by Seban Scaria seban.scaria@lseg.com )