No new projects for BMP

No new projects for BMP
Vijay TImes

THE Housing and Urban Development (HUD) department has directed the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) not to take up new infrastructure projects until it completes the spillover works of last year.

The direction was given by HUD authorities in a circular sent to BMP commissioner K Jairaj. It may be recalled that the commissioner, in the monthly Council Meeting held on May 30, had disclosed that piece works could not be taken up as the State government had put a blanket seal on taking up new projects.

NO PIECE WORKS

"Tenders have to be issued for civil works costing over Rs 2 lakh as per Transparency Act and these cannot be taken up as piece works," Jairaj had said.

It was former BMP commissioner K Jothiramalingam who had mooted the concept of piece works for finishing incomplete tasks, including spill over works.

"It has been clearly stated in the circular that only piece works, which are emergency in nature, can be taken up. At the same time, the circular also clearly states that works exceeding Rs 2 lakh cannot be taken up," sources in BMP said.

The BMP has also been restrained from splitting works, a facility that will enable it to classify the works under the piece work category.

OCT 30 DEADLINE

The commissioner has been directed to complete ongoing works, to the tune of Rs 106.28 crore, by October 30 and the chief engineers have been directed to prepare a list of works executed in their respective zones. The lists have to be submitted to the commissioner for review by June 15.

FUND RAISING

Jairaj had suggested that the BMP could send a delegation, headed by the Mayor Mumtaz Begum, to the government to raise a loan of Rs 100 crore. The money, he had said, could be used to execute piece works in all the wards.

“We can seek an exemption of 30 per cent for executing emergency works from the government. But, the remaining 70 per cent will have to be done by inviting tenders. The tendering process will be completed within 45 days. For those wards, where works are already in progress or where works have been completed, the BMP can release funds after conducting an inspection,” he had said.

REDUCTION IN WARD GRANTS

The circular has made it clear that corporators cannot utilise the entire sum of Rs 1.5 crore provided to them as ward grants. They can utilise only Rs 1 crore as there was shortage of funds. The government has approved the BMP Budget by reducing the ward grants to Rs 1 crore from Rs 1.5 crore.

A few corporators are of the opinion that it is hi BMP initiates work on certain development and infr projects in the City as the BMP elections are due Several corporators expressed their concern over w beginning on new projects and on those projects th the Budget before the onset of the monsoon.

HUD department wants spillovers to be completed, t



Some of the projects that would be put on hold

Proposed flyovers:

4 16th Main BTM Layout
4 Cauvery Theatre Junction
4 Queens Circle Junction to Shivajinagar Bus stand
4 Girinagar (Nagendra Block, Muneshwara Block)

Mini Flyovers:

4 Ayyappa Temple, Peenya
4 Dasarahalli Circle
4 Peenya Siddapura Entrance
4 Thanisandra Junction on Ring Rd
4 Yankee Factory
4 Yeshwanthpur Junction

Subways:

4 Audigodi Junction
4 BMP head office
4 City Armed Reserve Police quarters
4 Mathikere Bus stand

Other projects:

4 Concreting of roads in the City
4 Forming Inner Ring Road that passes through central business district