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.