BMC's Rs 600 crore garbage contracts raise a stink

Mumbai: The BMC on Thursday faced allegations of favouritism towards private contractors over its decision to allot garbage transportation contracts worth Rs 600 crore to these contractors. However, despite fierce opposition from the BJP, the proposals were passed in the civic standing committee on Thursday.

The civic body on an experimental basis asked the contractors to carry out the entire task of lifting and ferrying the garbage to the dumping grounds in four wards (Kandivali, Borivali, Dahisar and Mulund) for a period of seven years.

However, the contractors quoted as high as 97 to 112 per cent the estimated rates for these proposals. Thereafter, the BMC amended and increased the contract rates by studying the reasons given by the contractors for quoting inflated rates.

Raising the issue in the standing committee, senior BJP corporator Prabhakar Shinde said, “On what basis were the earlier contract rates prepared? What is even more shocking is that the rates were increased after opening tenders. It was done with the sole aim of benefitting the contractors, who had quoted more than 100 per cent rates.”

Mr Shinde demanded that instead of hiking the rates, the BMC should have reissued tenders.

Another BJP corporator, Makarand Narvekar, alleged that it was a ploy to privatise BMC’s garbage transportation contracts.

Meanwhile, additional municipal commissioner Vijay Singhal defended the amendment in contract rates saying that they were prepared after considering the reasons given by the contractors.

“The contractors will have to pay wages to labourers and provide facilities such as toilets, rest rooms and chowkies to them. There is also a rise in fuel costs and supervising expenditure. These factors were not taken into account while preparing the initial rates,” he said.

“We also compared the rates with those of Delhi and Navi Mumbai, where contract system is prevalent, and found them appropriate,” the additinal municipal commissioner added.