BJP corporator exposes corruption in BMC’s trenching contract

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Civic body orders re-tendering saving Rs 136 crore

Mumbai: Blowing a lid over corruption in BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) trenching contract, BJP Corporator Vinod Mishra has helped the civic body to save Rs 136 crore.

Mishra in November had alleged that the bids for the trenching contracts were rigged and had predicted as who would get the contract. Bowing before the pressure from the Corporator, the BMC has re-floated the contract scrapping the earlier, saving Rs 136 crore.

Mishra had written to BMC commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal, Mayor Kishori Pednekar predicting the bidding process and its possible winners. He had named nine contractors who would get the contract for trenching. After a few days, the same contractors got the contract at a price mentioned by Mishra in the letter.

“Taking cognisance of my letter, BMC re-floated the tender of Rs 433 crore. The earlier tender was of Rs 569 crore scrapped by BMC. In the previous tender, the companies had bid 3 per cent to 8 per cent above the estimated price. However, due to my expose’ the contractors have now bid an average of 25 per cent below the estimated cost,” Mishra said.

The Corporator alleged that asphalt and mastic ready mix plant owners colluded to rig the bidding process. “It was shocking that the contractors were pre-decided before the bidding process would start. Everything was planned and no due process was followed. The BMC has to answer as to why the same tender cost was Rs 380 crore in August which suddenly grew to Rs 568 crore and now came down to Rs 433 crore?” Mishra raised the question.

“How can a single tender have so much price fluctuation in just four-five months? We can all see irregularities and hand in gloves with contractors. The BMC should inquire about the matter through the Vigilance Department. Also, they should inquire report public so that the citizens should know that their money is misused,” he said.

The contract is usually given for cover-up roads dug to install new cables, pipelines for various facilities like electricity, gas for the citizens.