Standing committee members question role of consultants in BMC projects

Committee rejects ₹23 crores for consultants, says BMC tweaks conditions to suit particular consultants

Mumbai: The role of project management consultants (PMC) in the functioning of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) came into sharp focus after the standing committee rejected a ₹23.35 crore proposal on Tuesday to appoint a consultant for augmentation of the Pise-Panjrapole water purification project by another 910 million litres per day (MLD) capacity. Currently, the project treats about 1365 MLD of water which the BMC plans to increase to meet the city’s rising needs.

Standing committee members question role of consultants in BMC projects

Though five bids were received for the technical consultants, the BMC recommended M/s Tata Consultancy Engineers and brought the proposal before the standing committee for clearance. However, the committee rejected the proposal, suggesting instead that the administration revert with a fresh revised proposal.

Leader of the Shiv Sena Amey Gole stated that a consultant cartel was operating in the BMC, noting how a good chunk of the funds was being spent on consultants. Citing how the BMC engineers had already been working on the original Pise-Panjrapole project since its inception about 47 years back in the year 1979, Ghole questioned what role would the consultants offer to engineers who had better working experience on this project.

Others like Ashraf Azmi accused the BMC administration of showing favouritism towards specific consultants, and tweaking criteria to suit particular ones. For instance, he pointed out that of the total 14 works for which consultants were hired by the water supply projects department, 9 were granted to just one firm: M/s Tata Consultancy Engineers (TCE). He also pointed out that another firm M/s WAPCOS, which had done the DPR for the Gargai project was subsequently denied work for the post-tender phase, citing a new condition that those firms involved in pre-tender works would not be eligible for post-tender works. Raising questions about the advice provided by consultants, he pointed out how a French firm would soon be handling over 60% of Mumbai’s drinking water resources based on that advice.

Azmi has also raised this issue with Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide, demanding an independent review of consultancy appointments and ensuring transparency and fairness in future allocations of consultancy assignments.

The role of consultants also came into focus regarding the construction of a bridge over Oshiwara Nallah. The BMC hired two different consultants in 2021 and 2022; both advised dismantling the existing bridge and constructing a new one.

Corporators like Shailesh Phanse from Versova wondered what role consultants would play when the BMC officials had much more experience in dealing with water supply project issues. “Besides, what would the recently hired 165 engineers do if consultants were doing all the work? Why is the BMC hiring so many consultants?” he questioned. He also alleged that many retired BMC officials were being hired under the guise of consultants.