Surat: Given the delays in the opening of Zone 1 of the much-anticipated Dumas Sea-Face Development Project, the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) has imposed a fine of Rs 3.32 crore on the contractor, M/s M P Babariya, and issued a notice threatening blacklisting. Jayesh A. Dalal Planning & Engineering Services Pvt Ltd, the project management consultancy, has also come under scrutiny.

Zone-1 (Urban Zone), Package-1 of the Sea-Face project, which includes recreational and tourism development works such as an eco-tourism park on Dumas Beach, was handed over to the contractor in March 2024. Despite repeated written and verbal reminders, progress remained slow.

A review meeting on October 9, chaired by the Mayor, Municipal Commissioner, and Standing Committee Chairman, instructed that all work, except the portion obstructed by the GETCO line, be completed by December 15.

However, during a site visit on December 8, Commissioner Shalini Agarwal observed that large portions of the promenade, event ground, sculptures, horticulture, and amenities building interiors and exteriors remained incomplete. The SMC warned that continued delays could damage the project’s credibility and image, leading to the issuance of notices demanding explanations, which has now been followed by the hefty fine.