Minister wants BBMP to resume works

District-in-Charge Minister R Ramalinga Reddy asked Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to resume 1,970 works worth Rs 522.96 crore which were discontinued after the Technical Vigilance Cell under Commissioner (TVCC) called them unnecessary. BBMP had to stop works on several projects following a negative report by the TVCC. The minister feels that the civic body gave report on these works to the TVCC without even doing a spot inspection. Some months ago, the then BBMP Commissioner Siddaiah directed TVCC to inspect all development works sanctioned in 2012-13. Later, TVCC Chief Engineer Devraj and team found most of them, though sanctioned, were not started. Then BBMP Special Commissioner K R Niranjan noted that Rs 762.51 crore were sanctioned to execute 2,756 works, of which 1,970 works worth Rs 522.96 crore had not be started. BBMP sources have reportedly said the body would resume these works after it gets orders officially from the Urban Development Department in writing. Some reports indicate that most of the 23,000 works going on across the city are neither inspected nor verified. If proper inspection is done, BBMP can save up to Rs 2,000 crore, reports suggest.