Senior MLA Flags Alleged Irregularities in Gujarat Maritime Board Projects
Extension Push for GMB Official Amid Corruption Allegations Sparks Outrage
Serious allegations of corruption, administrative failure and alleged political shielding have surfaced within the Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB), after a written complaint by a Senior Legislator Mr.Kishor Kanani (Kumar) of Gujarat Assembly from ruling party accused a senior official of Gujarat Maritime Board being at the center of multiple failed maritime projects and the allegations that this corrupt official’s boasting that he is surviving till date with the blessing and support from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) to protect him. The complaint, written by a sincere and upright person, opens a fresh debate on accountability within one of Gujarat’s most strategic infrastructure bodies.
In a detailed letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, copies of which have circulated within government and political circles, grave corruption charges against Mr. Bhavesh Talavia, Chief Engineer of the Gujarat Maritime Board, who is due to retire shortly this February’26, but is trying his level best to get an extension in service using his political and bureaucratic clout. Allegations have been made that Talavia has been directly responsible for technical lapses, project failures and financial losses running into 100’s of crores of rupees, yet continues to enjoy extraordinary protection within the system. The complaint further expresses concern that, despite repeated complaints and written representations, no decisive inquiry has been initiated this most corrupt GMB official, raising troubling questions about institutional integrity.
Serious complaint about corruption
What makes the controversy politically significant is that the allegations are from a senior person, who put his concerns on record through official correspondence to the Gujarat Govt. In his letter, written to the Prime Minister, he stresses that he is not motivated by personal or political gains, but by what he describes as “serious damage to national assets, public money and Gujarat’s maritime development”.
“If written complaints by a Senior person are ignored and not taken note of, then who will dare to take stringent action against corruption in GMB?”
In the complaint, it’s argued that Prime Minister Modi’s upright character and long-standing public stance against corruption are invoked, suggesting that the situation within GMB stands in stark contrast to the Prime Minister’s repeated calls for transparency, accountability, and zero tolerance for wrongdoing and corruption.
Four Projects, Repeated Allegations
At the heart of the controversy are four major maritime projects in Gujarat, all of which, according to the complaint, point to a pattern of negligence, technical manipulation, and alleged corruption linked to Chief Engineer Bhavesh Talavia.
- Mangrol Fishing Harbour Breakwater Collapse
One of the most serious cases cited is the collapse of the Mangrol breakwater. According to the allegations, a proper technical and geological survey of the area was not carried out before execution. To siphon funds, undersized rocks and corals were allegedly used in construction, compromising structural integrity. As a result, the breakwater reportedly began sinking and eventually collapsed.
Sources say that a departmental inquiry is currently in progress on this matter. However, critics argue that the pace of the inquiry has been slow and that accountability has not been fixed despite the magnitude of the failure and the financial losses involved.
- Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) Corruption Case
Another major allegation pertains to the corruption in the famous and much-publicised Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) project, a critical system for monitoring and managing maritime traffic along Gujarat’s coast. It’s alleged that Chief Engineer Talavia, after getting huge bribes, deliberately delayed valuation meetings for the project by five to six years. This delay, according to the complaint, resulted in cost escalations, contractual disputes and ultimately arbitration proceedings.
An arbitration case related to the VTS project is currently underway. The complaint implies that the prolonged delays were not accidental but part of a larger pattern of administrative manipulation that benefited select interests at the cost of public funds.
- Ghogha–Dahej RoRo Ferry Failure
The Ghogha–Dahej RoRo ferry service, once projected as a flagship and most prestigious project aimed at reducing travel time and increasing convenience to the public, transport between Saurashtra and South Gujarat, is another hallmark of Talavia’s corruption. Launched with much fanfare, the project failed to achieve its objectives/ milestone and was eventually suspended within a year of its launch.
The letter alleges “deep-rooted corruption in dredging” as a key reason behind the failure of the ferry service. Improper dredging reportedly led to navigational issues, operational inefficiencies and safety concerns. The matter is now under long-drawn arbitration, in which the Chief Engineer Talvia who as Chairman and Technical head was at the helm of the project affairs and execution, has cunningly kept himself isolated from the arbitration proceeding by putting his juniors in the witness box. But the questions continue to be raised about why accountability has not been established within GMB, particularly at the level of senior technical leadership.
- Porbandar Navy Berth Controversy
Perhaps the most strategically sensitive allegation relates to the Porbandar Navy berth. The construction work for the berth was entrusted to GMB. According to the complaint, Talavia failed to carry out a comprehensive study and unilaterally changed the angle of the berth by 15 degrees.
The consequence, as alleged, is that only one vessel can now dock at a time—either a cement vessel or an Indian Navy vessel—severely limiting operational flexibility. This has reportedly resulted in heavy financial losses to Govt due to non-availability of the berth and loss of berth hire charges. A departmental inquiry is said to be underway, but the issue has raised serious concerns given its implications for national security infrastructure.
Alleged Shielding and PMO Reference
The most explosive aspect of the complaint being that a story being pushed by the accused Talavia that he has blessings of someone from the Prime Minister’s Office, hence he remains untouched. While the letter does not name any individual, it states that the “extraordinary protection” enjoyed by Talavia , despite repeated complaints and ongoing inquiries, does points to a high-level shielding.
Government sources, however, caution that the allegation of PMO interference remains unproven and must be investigated carefully. They stress that the PMO being a very upright body of high integrity, typically does not intervene in individual service matters at the state level. Nonetheless, the very fact that such a complaint has been made in writing, it calls for an independent and transparent probe against the accused in the question.
The ureter motive “Extension After Retirement”?
Adding to the controversy is the issue of Talavia impending retirement. The Chief Engineer is due to retire in February 2026. However, sources within GMB and the state government claim that Talavia with his political and bureaucratic clout has succeeded in the master stroke and preparations are underway to grant him a three-year extension.
More controversially, it is alleged that on the recommendation past top GMB official, a proposal was aggressively push to grant Talavia a Pay Scale 14, equivalent to a secretary-level position. If approved, this would place him among the highest-ranking bureaucrats in the state, despite the cloud of allegations and ongoing inquiries. “This sends a dangerous message,” said a senior official on condition of anonymity. “If an officer facing multiple allegations of serious corruption charges, wrong doings and arbitration cases, is rewarded with an extension and a higher pay scale, what signal would it send to honest officers and to the public?”
Fortunately, GoG GAD and Finance Department not only bitterly criticized the rational of GMB aggressively pushing the recommendation for the most corrupt GMB official for elevation to Scale 14 pay scale but also to the sigh of sincere and honest GMB officials who declined such an absurd move.
Silence from the System
Despite a number of serious corruption allegations, due to the political weight of the accused, to date, there has been no official announcement of a high-level or independent inquiry into Talavia’s overall role in the cited failed projects. While departmental inquiries and long arbitration proceedings are ongoing in individual cases, critics argue that these are fragmented and fail to address the broader pattern of deep routed alleged corruption.
As pointed out in the complaint, ignoring such serious allegations of corruption erodes public trust and confidence in the Govt. It further states that Gujarat has long projected itself as a model state for governance and infrastructure development, and that maritime projects are central to its economic and ease of doing business vision.
Political and Administrative Implications
The episode places the Gujarat government in a difficult situation. On one hand, the current leadership has consistently emphasized clean governance. While on the other hand, the allegations come from senior person which target’s a senior official perceived to be influential within the system.
Opposition parties are expected to seize upon the issue in the coming days, demanding answers in the state assembly and calling for a probe by an independent agency. For the Govt, the challenge will be to demonstrate that its anti-corruption stance applies equally within its own ranks, administration and Govt officials.
Call for Transparency
In concluding remarks, the complainant humbly urged the Prime Minister and senior authorities to order an impartial, time-bound investigation into all the failed projects linked to Talavia, and to put on hold any proposal for extension or promotion until the truth is established.
“The fight against the corruption cannot be selective,” the letter states in essence. “If an influential official is allowed to escape scrutiny, it undermines the very foundations of good governance.”
As Gujarat continues to position itself as a Maritime and logistics hub, the unfolding controversy around the Gujarat Maritime Board underscores a larger question: whether institutional accountability will prevail over influence, money, power and whether allegations, especially from Sr person, will finally translate into action.
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