80 per cent SRA engineers on extended tenure

Almost 80 per cent of the engineers on deputation with the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) project in the city have allegedly extended their tenure with the SRA beyond the permitted limit of three years by lobbying with top ministers including the chief minister Devendra Fadnavis who heads SRA.

A top SRA official, requesting anonymity, said, “Out of the total 44 engineers almost 25 engineers have completed almost four years with SRA and they have been successful in extending their tenure by lobbying with the top most ministers and officials in Mantralaya. They are supposed to reposted with the BMC.”

The post of engineers at SRA is one of the lucrative posting one can have and is considered to be one of the most corrupt departments. “As 90 per cent of the work is done by engineers at the SRA, from carrying out surveys to identifying the legality and illegality of every slum dweller. They are the one with whom the builders deal the most at the SRA. The maximum complaints at the SRA is against the engineering department by builders of them blackmailing the latter. However, complaints do not make them guilty and there are hearings being conducted to decide on it,” added official.

Due to political pressure and to bring in transparency to reduce lobbying, the BMC had earlier this year opted the lottery system for promoting the engineers to SRA on deputation and after the same three engineers with the post of executive engineers and deputy chief engineer were deputed with the SRA this month.

However, an engineer from the SRA not wishing to be named said, “We have not lobbied and need relievers for us to vacate this post.”

“A list of engineers to be deputed with the SRA is already been made and they will soon be shifted to the SRA,” said Sainath Rajadhksha, general secretary, BMC engineers union.

However, the SRA official said, “In order to fill up the lower level postings, there is an exam and based on its results, engineers are deputed and for rest lottery is conducted. We are yet to receive clarity from the CM on what method should be adopted.”

The CM and SRA chief Aseem Gupta were not available for comments.