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Corporators want to pass proposals worth Rs 1200 cr
The Election Commission has put spanner on the Standing Committee on passing new proposals, reports Naresh Kamath.
Though the Election Commission has put spanner on the Standing Committee on passing new proposals, the Standing Committee members has still not lost hope.
The corporators want the BMC administration to convince the Election Commission to allow them to pass the pending 136 civic contracts worth Rs 1200 crores on urgent basis.
Their argument is that citizens would be worst sufferers and it was unfair to keep projects pending for two months.
In the Standing Committee meeting held on Friday, all voiced their concern on the pending projects and the various implications due to their delay. The Election Code of Conduct had explicitly stated that apart from not passing any new tenders, it has also put stop from carrying out work despite having a green signal from the civic body.
"These projects are important considering that Mumbai is the financial capital of the city. Delay only prolong the process and increase cost," said Ravindra Vaikar, BMC Standing Committee Chairman.
Supporting him, BJP corporator Parag Alvani said "These projects are already sanctioned in the budget and we are just passing them. I don't see any poll gimmick".
The anxiety is understandable since apart from large projects like Mithi River Clean Up (Phase II) (Rs 280 crores), road concretisation (Rs 200 crores), various projects like laying sewage lines and garbage collection tempos which affect day to day life are worrying them.
"I have faced a lot of problem due to shortage of garbage tempos just month before. Corporators face a terrible time from citizens," said Congress corporator Sameer Desai.
However citizens groups are not convinced and want the Election Commission to dismiss such pleas.
"What were the corporators doing all this while and today they come up with such mind boggling amount. This sound like a fishy deal," said Sharad Kumar, Media Coordinator, Action for Good Governance and Networking in India (AGNI).
