BMP to blacklist slack contractors

BMP to blacklist slack contractors

The Hindu


BANGALORE: The Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) on Tuesday resolved to blacklist contractors awarded works under the first package of "Complete Blacktop" asphalting project if they do not take up the remaining work by February 10. These contractors will also not be allowed to participate in the second package of the project.

This apart, contractors who will be short-listed under the second package should start work within 10 days of the work orders being issued. Or, the BMP will blacklist them too.

A resolution on this was adopted at the BMP Council meeting held here. The resolution followed a heated debate on incomplete road works in the city and the "cold response" by contractors, especially after a High Court of Karnataka committee submitted two reports on the poor quality of road and drain works in the city.

The Council also resolved to accumulate all the works withdrawn from the blacklisted contractors and award them in one package to major construction companies without calling for tenders. The BMP will seek the Government's permission to exempt these works from the Karnataka Transparency and Procurement Act.

Earlier, members from all parties criticised the officials for not ensuring good quality roads in the city.

BMP Commissioner K. Jothiramalingam replied that the BMP will wait till February 3, the last date for participating in the tenders for the second package. "If we do not get response from contractors this time, we have decided to award the work to global companies," he said.

Under the first package taken up at a cost of Rs. 130 crores, work on 87 components (714.9 km of roads) of the 110 identified has been completed. Work on the remaining 23 components is slated for completion by the end of February.

While the contractors have been demanding certain relaxations in the tender conditions and also higher rates, the BMP is ready to consider the rates quoted in the tender if they are up to 10 per cent above the scheduled rates. "We cannot allow anything beyond that," he said.

Pointing out that the short-listed tenders will be sent to the Standing Committee on Works within 10 days after the bids are opened, he said all road works will be completed by June 15.

Panel report


Mr. Jothiramalingam said the BMP had obtained two interim reports submitted by the High Court committee on road and drain works. "We have been asked to file an affidavit by March 10 as to why we should not implement the recommendations made by the committee. Some of the recommendations cannot be implemented; and we will explain why we cannot implement them," he said.