BMP’s contractors, corporators find piece contract system lucrative

BMP’s contractors, corporators find piece contract system lucrative
Vijay Times

WORK carried out on roads, drains and footpaths using Calamity Relief Funds (CRF) in areas coming under the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) has left some engineers, contractors and corporators smiling.

The works were awarded to a few contractors under the piece contract system, without inviting tenders. The piece contract system, sources allege, is being misused by some corporators, engineers and contractors to make easy money.

The modus operandi is simple.Work on roads,pavements and drains are awarded to contractors on a piece contract basis instead of tenders.

This means more contractors get work and more money is spent on tasks that could be completed using little sums. Take for instance, the nine piece works on subsidiary roads connecting Airport Road, awarded by BMP engineers. According to BMP officials, the works have been split before being awarded on a piece contract basis. Amaresh, a resident of Wilson Garden, had sought information under the Right To Information (RTI) Act on how the CRF funds were being utilised.The information provided by the BMP proves that for completing work on a single stretch of road, several contracts had been issued.

The documents of budgetary allocation under CRF from 2001 - 2006 show the embezzlement, which has happened in many of the 100 wards all over the City. Similarly, the asphalting work of the K H Road (Double Road), from K H Circle to Lalbagh Road-Mission Road Junction, was split into two portions and given as two contracts of Rs 5 lakh each.

Sources in the BMP point out that there was no need to split the work on the same road or small stretch of roads in to piece contracts. The BMP could have awarded the total work to a single contractor which would have worked out well, both financially and qualitatively.

"With no proper quality checks, your area roads and pavements vanish in a few days after they are laid. The corporator and the area engineer identify the ‘emergency works’ and such works are awarded to the contractor who is usually the corporator’s man," the source added.

As tender process is a time consuming one, the concept of piece work came into existence to attend to emergency works. Some corporators take advantage of this to make a quick buck. An order has been passed that states that 50 per cent of the work be given on a piece contract basis and the remaining through tenders.

Earlier, an emergency work should not have exceeded Rs two lakh. However, the corporators got it raised to Rs 5 lakh in the BMP Council meeting. Realising the problem, the government has passed an order which states : "The BMP is prohibited from splitting works in any estimate put within the piece work limit. Piece work should be of emergency nature and should not exceed Rs 2 lakh per work. Also, only 30 per cent of the total works in each ward is allowed to be given without tendering."

Asphalting work on a stretch of K H Road split and contracts. BVT

THE WORKS WERE SPLIT IN THE FOLLOWING MANNER TO AVOID TENDERING PROCESS IN AIRPORT WARD

Work (Rs in lakh) Asphalt on Church Road of Murugesh Palya Main Road, Airport Road Asphalt on K R Garden 2nd, 3rd and 4th Main Roads, Airport Road Rs 4.99 Asphalt on 8th Main Road, Vinayaka Nagar B Block, Airport Road Rs 4 Asphalt on Komena Agrahara Main Road, Airport Road Asphalt on 1st and 3rd Main of Komena Agrahara, Airport Road Rs Asphalt on 4th Cross Komena Agrahara, Airport Road Asphalt on 1st Cross 6th main and 1st main road of Vinayak nagar B Block Rs 4.99 Asphalt on Cross roads of Murugesh Palya and K R Garden, Airport Road Rs 4.99 Asphalt on Golf Road