Contractors gang up to foil BMC

With the monsoon about to set in, civil works in your locality are far from nearing completion. As a result, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has extended the deadline of civil works contractors (CWC) to August 31.

With the monsoon about to set in, civil works in your locality are far from nearing completion. As a result, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has extended the deadline of civil works contractors (CWC) to August 31. The civic standing committee on Monday passed the proposal for the extension with a rider to further extend the deadline to October 31, if necessary.

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The BMC had appointed 110 contractors for the city's 227 wards for petty civil works, which include filling of trenches dug for installing utilities, pothole repairs, and other spot repair work. However, though the two-year their contract period ended in March, the adoption of the new system, under which the number of contractors have been cut down to 31, has suffered an unforeseen setback.

The contractors' lobby has foiled the civic body's move as they have bid 60% lower than the estimated price, forcing the civic body to ask them to explain how they propose to carry out work with such low amounts. This has only led to further delay in finalising new contractors.

Members of the standing committee are miffed with the decision as they claim that administrative lapses have severely affected work at the ward level. "After being elected, we have not been able to carry out any civil work properly. New contractors need to be finalised soon. Granting extension to old ones will not help in getting any work done," said Rais Sheikh, Samajwadi Party corporator.