Accounts Department wants it to cut down cost of projects as development of infra to fight pandemic has drained BMCs coffers
Road work going on in Bandra amidst the pandemic. File pics
All the engineering staff of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) are back to their real jobs but there is still a lot of ambiguity over the issuance of tenders, especially for new projects, as major infrastructure development for the pandemic has led to a fund crunch for the civic body making it difficult to finance major projects. The Roads Department of the BMC seems to be at the receiving end of things. On one hand, the Accounts Department wants the Roads Department to cut down on the cost of projects, on the other the elected representatives want to get major work done as the elections are just a year away.
In a written communication between the two departments, the Accounts Department informed the other one that they should only consider carrying out necessary work given the situation. The Roads Department has already allotted contracts worth R5,400 crore and work on the projects is in various stages. A civic official said that the amount had to be paid to the contractors and new projects would only add to the burden.
'Reconsider projects'
This issue had come to light in August after the Roads Department placed a proposal for nine road work projects in the western suburbs worth Rs 400 crore. The roads had to be reconstructed into cement concrete and asphalt. While the projects were approved, the Accounts Department had asked the Roads Department to reconsider them given the current situation.
The service road along Western Express Highway in Andheri East is in bad condition.
A civic source said, "Given the expenditure the BMC had to incur to build infrastructure to handle the pandemic, we have requested the user department to consider the situation and focus only on urgent and necessary work this year. A huge amount needs to be paid as and when the works are completed for which we need funds." However, while not many projects were planned or taken up, the ones which were on the drawing board are now being reviewed.
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Decision pending
A senior official from the Roads Department said, "We are preparing drafts of the tenders to be floated but we are yet to get approvals from the authorities concerned as the decision regarding how much work will be done this year is yet to be taken."
He added, "The corporators keep asking us about starting the road works in their areas, and hence, whichever project is in the planning process we consider it." Despite repeated attempts to reach Sanjay Darade, chief engineer of Roads Department, he was not available for comment.
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