BMC to reissue Rs 1,200 cr road works tender

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is expected to retender the Rs 1,200 crore road works that were red-flagged last week by additional municipal commissioner P Velrasu, who heads the roads department, after contractors bid as low as 30% below the actual cost. Officials have been instructed to start the retendering process at the departmental level, with short tenders likely to be invited for the process to be completed in a month. In the retender, multiple words can be combined. The opposition, on the other hand, argued that by doing so, only major contractors would be able to submit bids. In an internal file note before the roads department last week, Velrasu cited that the rate analysis is unlikely to justify the ability to do proper quality road work. The department was also asked to explain how bidders will maintain the quality of road works if they are subcontracted and if any mechanisms have been put in place to ensure the cement mixture used for the works is of good quality. In its response, the roads department explained that works are awarded to the lowest bidder in accordance with the guidelines of the Central Vigilance Commission and that if there are any violations, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India raises questions during audits. When it comes to the quality control query, the department is likely to respond that surprise visits and concrete testing at municipal laboratories may be conducted as needed. Rais Shaikh, a member of the Samajwadi Party in the BMC, said the delay is acceptable if the work is of good quality. However, councillor and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) group leader Vinod Mishra claims that the BMC is delaying the process because it lacks the funds to undertake such large-scale projects. All funds have been diverted for specific area upgrades, while issues such as road construction have been postponed, he said. Image SourceAlso read: BMC sets up 24 teams to repair potholes