Patna High Court Seeks Detailed Response from Metro Rail Corporation Over Consultant Appointment Row

Patna: The Patna High Court has taken a serious view of allegations regarding irregularities in the selection process of a consultant for the Patna Metro Rail Project. Acting on a writ petition filed by international firm Dang Mizong Consultancy, the court has directed Patna Metro Rail Corporation Limited (PMRCL) to file a comprehensive reply by June 26.

A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Ashutosh Kumar and Justice Parth Sarathi passed the order just before the court entered its summer recess. The case revolves around the alleged lack of transparency in the tendering process for consultant appointments.

Appearing on behalf of the petitioner, senior advocate Mrigank Mauli informed the court that PMRCL had invited expressions of interest (EOI) from both national and international firms. The petitioner company complied with all stipulated requirements, but their technical bid was never opened.

Citing media reports, Mauli argued that PMRCL appeared to have manipulated the tender conditions to favor a Japanese consultancy firm, introducing additional qualifications mid-process that were not mentioned in the original tender documents.

“The corporation cited confidentiality to justify these changes, which were not scientifically or technically justified. This raises serious concerns about fairness and accountability,” Mauli submitted. He further emphasized that a lack of transparency at the initial stages could jeopardize the integrity and quality of a high-stakes public infrastructure project like the metro.

In response, the court directed senior advocate Satyadarshi Sanjay, appearing for the Metro Rail Corporation, to file a detailed legal and factual response to the allegations before June 26.