(1)-PIL-188-22 & connected matters.odt Trupti IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION PUBLIC INTEREST LITIGATION NO.188 OF 2022 Shrihari S/o Anant Shidore … Petitioner Versus Commissioner/Administrator … Respondents WITH INTERIM APPLICATION NO.12740 OF 2025 IN PUBLIC INTEREST LITIGATION NO.188 OF 2022 Shrihari Anant Shidore & Ors. … Applicants Versus Commissioner/Administrator … Respondents WITH INTERIM APPLICATION (ST) NO. 35504 OF 2025 IN PUBLIC INTEREST LITIGATION NO.188 OF 2022 G.V.P.R Engineer Pvt Ltd … Applicant In the matter between Shrihari S/o Anant Shidore … Petitioner Versus Commissioner/Administrator … Respondents WITH INTERIM APPLICATION NO. 12742 OF 2025 IN PUBLIC INTEREST LITIGATION NO.188 OF 2022 Manisha Palande … Applicant versus Shrihari Anant Shidore & Ors. … Respondents WITH WRIT PETITION NO.2651 OF 2025 Raju Nanasaheb Chavan … Petitioner Versus The State of Maharashtra … Respondent 1 TRUPTI SADANAND BAMNE Digitally signed by TRUPTI SADANAND BAMNE Date: 2026.08.21 17:16:17 +0530 (1)-PIL-188-22 & connected matters.odt WITH INTERIM APPLICATION NO.16240 OF 2024 GVPR Engineers Ltd Through the Senior Manager Projects, G. Mahender s/o Sri. G. Somla …Applicant Versus Shrihari S/ Anant Shidore … Respondent ... Mr. Shambhuraje Deshmukh, Amicus Curiae (Through V.C.) a/w. Mr. Amit Mukhedkar for the Petitioner (Through V.C.). Mr. A. B. Girase, Govt. Pleader, Aurangabad (Through V.C.) along with Mr.Tambe, Addl.GP, Mr. O. A. Chandurkar, Addl. GP and Mrs. G. R. Raghuwanshi, AGP for the Respondent-State. Mr.Rajendra S.Deshmukh, Senior Advocate with Mr.Vinod Patil and Mr. Amol Vasmatkar for Respondent No.6/MJP. Mr. R. N. Dhorde, Senior Advocate i/b. Mr. Sanket N. Suryawanshi for Respondent No.15/Project Contractor. Mr. Nitin Gaware Patil for Applicant in IA/12742/2025. Mr.Sambhaji Tope (through VC) for the Respondent – Municipal Corporation. Mr.Sujeet G. Karlekar (through VC) with Mr.Harshal N. Mule for SAPL-VC (Joint Venture). ... CORAM : RAVINDRA V. GHUGE, ACJ. & GAUTAM A. ANKHAD, J. DATE : 21st AUGUST, 2026. P.C.: 1. This is the 221st hearing in this matter. HCCC REPORT 2. The learned Government Pleader has tendered a report of the minutes of the meeting of the High Court Constituted Committee (HCCC) 2 (1)-PIL-188-22 & connected matters.odt held on 13.08.2026, with a covering letter dated 20.08.2026 (44 pages). The same is marked as ‘X-87’ for identification. 3. Our attention is drawn to the contents of the said Report, especially with regards to the Pure Water Gravity Main (PWGM) and the various aspects recorded under Clause 12 pertaining to PWGM. Thereafter, our attention is drawn to the Elevated Storage Reservoirs (ESRs) and the Distribution Network-Road Restoration and House Service Connections. Our attention is also drawn to the 35 Villages Water Supply Scheme. 4. Mr. Dhorde, the learned Senior Advocate, has drawn our attention to Clause No. 21 of the said report, which pertains to the Excess Saving Statement (ESS) [Clauses (a) and (b)], which are reproduced hereunder : ‘a) The Excess Saving Statement submitted by MJP to the HCCC has been duly considered and approved by the Committee with the consent of the Commissioner, CSMC. The said statement is hereby submitted along with this report for the kind perusal and consideration of the Hon’ble High Court. b)Furthermore, the HCCC Chairman emphasized that the requisite proposal may be forwarded to the SLTC for consideration and approval at the earliest, in accordance with the applicable rules, norms and prescribed procedure. The relevant communication in this regard is enclosed herewith as Annexure -II’. 3 (1)-PIL-188-22 & connected matters.odt 5. All the learned Senior Advocates, as well as, the learned Advocates appearing for the parties, along with the learned Government Pleader and the learned Amicus Curiae, submit that the ESS submitted by the MJP to the HCCC and which is approved by the HCCC with the consent of the Divisional Commissioner, should be forwarded to the State Level Technical Committee (SLTC) for consideration and its approval. As such, we expect the SLTC to consider the ESS and ensure that appropriate steps are taken after conducting a proper verification exercise and approval is granted in view of the above. 6. The learned Senior Advocate, Mr. Deshmukh, appearing on behalf of the MJP, has tendered a photostat copy of the communication from the Executive Engineer, MJP, addressed to the Executive Engineer, Water Supply Department of the Municipal Corporation. The same is marked as ‘Y- 124’ for identification. The said communication contains the narration of a few heads of work which need to be pursued and it also acknowledges the receipt of the bills from the Project Contractor, GVPR, for an amount of Rs. 10,81,08,391/-. ELEVATED STORAGE RESERVOIRS 7. Insofar as ESRs are concerned, out of the 59 ESRs, 4 have been de-scoped and 55 ESRs are to be completed. 12 are ready, 30 are under 4 (1)-PIL-188-22 & connected matters.odt construction, and the remaining are already commissioned. 8. The learned Senior Advocate, Mr. Dhorde, submits that shortly, those ESRs which are under testing and which have been recorded in the minutes of the meeting of the HCCC, X-87, would be commissioned and, once such ESRs are commissioned, the supply of drinking water to the residents under the coverage of these ESRs would be improved and the frequency would be between 3 to 4 days. 9. Mr. Dhorde further submits that at two localities, i.e. Sindhi Colony and Jinsi, the Municipal Corporation is yet to allot the spot for erection of the ESRs. The learned Advocate for the Municipal Corporation, Mr. Tope, submits on instructions, that the Municipal Corporation would verify the viability of the available space and allot the spot at the Jinsi and Sindhi Colony locations for erection of the ESRs. PENDING BILLS 10. Mr. Dhorde, the learned Senior Advocate, submits that certain bills are still outstanding towards the MJP/Municipal Corporation. 11. Mr. Deshmukh, the learned Senior Advocate, draws our attention to Y-124, which indicates that Rs. 14.16 Crores have been sought from the Municipal Corporation. 5 (1)-PIL-188-22 & connected matters.odt 12. Mr. Tope, the learned Advocate for the Municipal Corporation, submits that the Municipal Corporation has already forwarded the same to the Maharashtra Urban Infrastructure Funds Trustee Company and the same have also been sanctioned. Within 10 days, the GVPR would be made the said payment. 13. Insofar as payment to be made to SAPL-VC (Joint Venture), which issue was brought to our notice when the order dated 26.02.2026 was passed, Mr. Karlekar submits that the SAPL is yet to receive the said payment. Mr. Deshmukh, the learned Senior Advocate, points out that the payment of the dues of SAPL is already covered by Y-124. Mr. Tope submits that the amounts to be paid to the SAPL would also be cleared within 15 days. 14. Mr. Dhorde, the learned Senior Advocate, points out that there is one more bill that has been recently tendered to the MJP. Mr. Deshmukh, the learned Senior Advocate, submits that the said bill would be dealt with by following the due procedure and the same would also be cleared in due course of time. 15. The learned Senior Advocates, Mr. Dhorde and Mr. Deshmukh; the learned Government Pleader, Mr. Girase; the learned Advocate, 6 (1)-PIL-188-22 & connected matters.odt Mr. Tope; the learned Advocate, Mr. Mukhedkar; and the learned Amicus Curiae, point out that, in anticipation of the non-availability of this Bench in future, they have tendered a joint letter on the administrative side to the Office of the Hon’ble the Chief Justice, praying for constitution of a new Bench at Aurangabad and that this matter, along with the Writ Petition, be transferred to the said Bench. 16. The learned Senior Advocates and the learned Government Pleader submit that the project is about 85% complete. 17. In view of the above, the Registry is directed to place this Petition on the administrative side before the Hon’ble the Acting Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court. 18. We are informed that the next meeting of the HCCC is scheduled on 01.09.2026. In view thereof, we are listing this PIL Petition on 11.09.2026 at 3.00 p.m. before the appropriate Bench as may be constituted by the Hon’ble the Acting Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court. [GAUTAM A. ANKHAD, J.] [ACTING CHIEF JUSTICE] 7