Reforms by Mumbai civic body to pave way for new contractors?

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation is all set to woo big private companies for its contracts and bring in fair competition by bringing various reforms

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation is all set to woo big private companies for its contracts and bring in fair competition by bringing various reforms to the contractors’ registration rules.

Following the road and stormwater drains scam, the civic body is looking at breaking the cartel of few chosen contractors by changing the contractors’ registration rules. (Hindustan Times)

Following the road and stormwater drains scam, the civic body is looking at breaking the cartel of few chosen contractors by changing the contractors’ registration rules.

A committee of civic officials, chaired by deputy municipal commissioner (improvement) Chandrashekhar Chore, has suggested a slew of reforms for the BMC’s registration rules. The civic body has proposed to make the rules on the lines of the public works department and make the entire registration process online.

The civic body will allow class I contractors, who do not have any upper tendering limit and can bid for any tender, to show an average turnover of work done in the past three years to be Rs3 crore from the existing Rs40 crore.

It has increased the validity of registration period from three years to five, with an increase in registration fees.

A civic official said, “Fair play and better transparency is required. We have made the registration rules similar to that of the state government and public works department so that the contractors don’t face difficulty in registering with us.”

The committee has suggested allowing registration of a contractor who does not have a registered office in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).

The civic officials will have to decide on the application of registration within three months of receipt.

A senior civic official said, “The inquiry reports have pointed out various irregularities in the civic body. We have wanted to attract big private players which were not possible due to restricted registration rules and specific contract conditions. The new reforms should help us provide better quality infrastructure to citizens.”