Mumbai, your ride this monsoon to be no better than usual

Expect your ride this monsoon to be no better than usual, as the standing committee of the Shiv Sena-BJP-led civic body on Wednesday appointed contractors, who bid around 59% below the estimate, to carry out the pre-monsoon road work.

Expect your ride this monsoon to be no better than usual, as the standing committee of the Shiv Sena-BJP-led civic body on Wednesday appointed contractors, who bid around 59% below the estimate, to carry out the pre-monsoon road work. Although this will save the BMC money, it could mean compromising on the quality of work, which will, in turn, affect the motorists.

The civic body had tabled five pre-monsoon work contracts worth Rs 23.78 crore to be handed over to seven contractors.

The scope of the work includes pre-monsoon maintenance of roads and unexpected road repairs in the island city, western and eastern suburbs.

The contractors who have been given the job have bid around 13-60% lower than the estimated cost.

While the opposition parties objected to the handing over of contract to the firms, the BMC cleared the proposal without much discussion.

“Last year, some contractors had forged the details on filling of potholes. The BMC needs to tell us what action has been taken against the contractors. The civic officials and contractors are hand-in-glove,” said MNS corporator Sandeep Deshpande.

“For any civil work, the civic body appoints inexperienced contractors who quote low rates. The civic chief needs to find a solution to the problem as citizens are fed up of bumpy rides,” said Nikhil Desai, member, F-north Citizens Forum.

Earlier this year, too, the civic body had tabled seven proposals worth Rs 650 crore for resurfacing of roads and filling of trenches contract and had handed over the contract to a blacklisted contractor, who bid 20% below the estimate.

Pallavi Darade, additional municipal commissioner, said “We will conduct a third-party audit of the pre-monsoon work so any manipulation, if conducted, is highlighted.”