Corporators raise a host of issues over the quality of the roads though all but BJP backs the proposals; BMC had earlier scrapped bids 30 per cent less than the estimated cost
Representation pic
The civic body’s standing committee cleared on Monday 40 proposals worth Rs 1,790 crore to reconstruct 515 roads. Though the Congress, NCP and Samajwadi Party raised queries, they stood by the Shiv Sena in clearing all the proposals, while BJP members walked out.
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The BMC had invited tenders for roads in March, but it received responses below 30 per cent of the estimated cost. The corporation scrapped the tenders and re-invited bids in September. This time too, it got quotes below 15 to 20 per cent of estimates. The administration then decided to put up 40 road proposals to the standing committee.
Prabhakar Shinde, group leader of the BJP, urged the committee to not pass the proposals until the administration gave a concrete plan on quality check of the roads. “There isn’t any mention of length, width, cost per square metres of roads. Some roads are divided in two wards and it is unclear which portion of road will be constructed,” said Shinde.
His party colleague Bhalchandra Shirsat said the BMC hasn’t appointed any quality management agency as yet. Despite questions over the quality of road, leader of opposition Ravi Raja said the work should be started as early as possible. Sena corporators backed the proposals, saying concrete roads are better and durable and will solve Mumbai’s pothole pain. Sanjeev Kumar, additional municipal commissioner, explained that the administration will work on the queries raised by the corporators and will ensure that the quality of roads is maintained.
Corporators’ concerns
>> Bids are still 15-20% below the estimates. Though BMC will release 20% cost to contractors in parts from sixth year onwards for concrete roads, it means contractors will make roads 35-45% below estimated costs and quality will suffer
>> BMC had said a quality management agency would be engaged to check the work, but no such agency has been hired yet. Since the proposals have been cleared, work will start without the agency
>> In 2015 road scam, even consultants were found guilty. How can they be trusted to check quality now?
>> There isn’t any information on the construction of roads that were approved in March 2020
>> After the 2015 scam, BMC had come up with a ‘Standard Bid Document’, but it was not taken into consideration while issuing road tenders
>> BMC doesn’t have enough engineers to check the quality of roads, there isn’t any policy for roads.
Same companies got 22 contracts: BJP
The BJP alleged that the same companies bagged at least 22 of the 40 contracts. “For example, in F/S and G/S ward, the contractor was ready to do the work at 31% less than the estimated cost of R26 crore in the first tender. Now the same company bagged the contract with 22% less than the bidding amount,” said Prabhakar Shinde from BJP. He added that the same story was repeated in 21 more contracts where companies bagged the contracts by bidding higher amounts than in earlier tenders.
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