AIRPORTS AUTHORITY OF INDIA vs MSSINGLA CONSTRUCTINS LTD

Judgment text excerpt

$~82 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI Date of decision: 13.05.2026 + O.M.P. (COMM) 118/2026, I.A. 6095/2026, I.A. 6096/2026, I.A. 6097/2026 & I.A. 6098/2026 AIRPORTS AUTHORITY OF INDIA .....Petitioner Through: Mr. Vaibhav Kalra, Ms. Neha Bhatnagar , Advs. with Mr. Gurmeet Singh, JT. GM versus MSSINGLA CONSTRUCTINS LTD .....Respondent Through: Mr. Saurav Yadav, Adv. CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE AVNEESH JHINGAN AVNEESH JHINGAN, J. (ORAL) 1. On 05.05.2026 the following order was passed: “1. Learned counsel for the respondent accepts notice and submits that no reply is required to be filed. 2. Learned counsel for the petitioner contends that issue is of unilateral appointment and seeks time to argue the matter. 3. Put up on 13.05.2026 in the Supplementary List.” 2. This petition is filed under Section 34 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 (for short „the Act‟) seeking setting aside of the arbitral award dated 13.10.2025 (for brevity „the award‟). 3. The facts in brief are that the petitioner/Airport Authority of India (AAI) awarded a work to the respondent for establishment of a Civil Enclave at Adampur Airport, Punjab, for construction of apron, taxi track Signature Not Verified Signed By:HONEY ARORA O.M.P. (COMM) 118/2026 Page 1 of 10 Signing Date:14.05.2026 16:45:39 and associated works. The Letter of Acceptance dated 15.06.2018 was issued for approximately Rs.14.13 crores, with a stipulated completion period of eight months ending on 24.02.2019. The formal agreement was executed on 02.07.2018 and the site was handed over on 25.06.2018. 3.1 According to the AAI, the respondent failed to mobilize adequate manpower, machinery and materials from the inception, resulting in repeated delays. Notices were issued and time was extended upto 2021, but right was