BMP’s new tender process blow to contractors’ lobby

BMP’s new tender process blow to contractors’ lobby
Deccan Herald

Punching its contractors’ lobby in the face, the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike Council on Tuesday gave the nod for changes in the tender process so that contractors registered with the Public Works Department too can take up BMP’s works. The nod is for PWD contractors from both within the State, and from across other states in the country.

The BMP council directed its Commissioner to place the matter before the government at the earliest. Commissioner K Jothiramalingam suggested that the council should perhaps throw the field open for global players too, but the council restricted it to an in-country affair.

Heated debate

The resolution came at the end of a heated debate where corporators cutting across partylines gave vent to their wrath on the laxity of the official machinery and truant tactics of the contractors, particularly in the case of road works. Mayor Mumtaz Begum herself noted that as much as possible, the BMP shall henceforth emphasise on concrete roads rather than tarred roads.

Though unsaid, the BMP council’s decision almost amounts to an action taken on the observations made by the High Court appointed experts’ committee for quality inspection of Bangalore’s roads. The Captain Raja Rao headed three-member committee had in its report referred to a contractors’ cartel at work in the BMP. That the BMP is not wholly dependent on the contractors who have in the recent past also boycotted the tender process, was the other message from the corporators.

The corporators also demanded enquiry against officials who delay file movements. There can be no reason for a file to remain with an officer for days on end, it must be cleared on a day to day basis, corporators said.

The corporators were apprised that the commissioner has no powers to suspend or initiate disciplinary action against officers brought on deputation (PWD officers in the present instance). Mr Jothiramalingam said the BMP has sought enabling amendments to the rules of the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms.

Chinese delegation

A Chinese delegation led by Mr Jian Hongkum, Mayor of Nanjing city called on Mayor Mumtaz Begum on Tuesday. A Memorandum of Understanding for enhancing the ties between Bangalore and Nanjing through the promotion of mutual exchange visits and co-operation in the fields of culture, education and sanitation was signed by the two Mayors on the occasion.

ENGINEERS FACE MAYOR’S FURY

Mayor Mumtaz Begum on Monday gave a dressing down to BMP engineers on Monday and accused them of insulting her and her fellow corporators before the public. The Mayor’s remarks came even as the corporators too were all fired up against the engineers at the Council meeting. The issue pertained to the continued lack of progress in road asphalting. The Mayor noted that in December she was had been invited for the ground-breaking ceremony for the works on two different roads on two different days, but not an inch of work has been done in these places since then. The Mayor was reportedly referring to Kamanahalli Main Road and Tannery Road.

That Lingarajapuram (Kamanahalli limits) corporator R Shankar had been gheraoed by the local residents while on his way to the council meeting on Tuesday gave further cause to the Mayor’s fury. “Do not come here to give staid old explanations. I want no nataks (dramas), I want work,” a chief engineer was told.