Civic body to introduce new system for allotment of local-level work by Oct 22

The new system for allotting minor civic works in your locality is all set to take off within the next few days.

The new system for allotting minor civic works in your locality is all set to take off within the next few days.

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The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is hoping to usher in more transparency in the way contracts are awarded for minor civic works at the ward-level by scraping the system of appointing civil works contractors (CWC).

Additional municipal commissioner Manisha Mhaiskar confirmed that the new system will be implemented by October 22.

Hindustan Times had reported in its October 2 edition about the civic body’s plans to scrap the existing system and instead allow registered civic contractors who will then have to submit quotations and bids for each work separately, depending on the cost of the work.

One of the advantages of the proposed system is that the BMC will identify the work that needs to be done.

In the previous CWC system, there would be 110 contractors appointed by the civic body, with one contractor in-charge of all minor civic projects in two electoral wards. This arrangement often encouraged collusion between contractors, officials and local corporators.

An internal note written by the chief accountant (finance) in March had highlighted how corporators would often propose unnecessary work on behalf of the contractors, and officials would then approve it. This nexus would then, the note said, ensure that the work was either done on paper or shoddily done, ensuring that they cut corners and siphon off taxpayers’ money.