The newly implemented Goods and Services Tax (GST) has caused a huge setback to civic projects, as tenders for several of them do not mention GST. However, to ensure there was no loss to the state owing to exclusion of GST from the tenders, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) received a circular last week from the state government, asking them to cancel the tenders finalised between July 2 and August 22, as they do not mention GST.

The only sigh of relief is that emergency works such as pothole repairs have been allowed, but not without bringing down the costs through negotiations, as BMC will have to bear the GST.