BMC slaps `2cr fine on contractors
Reeling from the tremendous flak it had drawn from all quarters for the pockmarked roads in the city, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has wielded the axe on erring contractors by slapping a fine of `2.05 crore on them for shoddy and delayed work.
With the Bombay HC passing severe strictures, the top BMC officials held an emergency meeting at civic headquarters on the pothole issue.
During the meeting, it was also decided to take action against two road engineers from the western suburbs. An appraisal of one of the road engineers has been stopped, while the other one has been given a strict diktat to immediately repair the potholes in his wards.
The highest penalty of `1.29 crore has been imposed on contractors appointed to fill potholes. Contractors under whose guarantee period newly-constructed roads developed potholes have been fined `80 lakh and contractors who filled potholes last year, which resurfaced this year, have been fined `15 lakh.
“The fine will be collected by deducting amount from the contractors’ bills that they will submit. In case of defence liability period roads, fines will be recovered directly,” said a civic official from the roads department.
According to the figures from the BMC’s pothole tracking system, till date 17,283 potholes have been reported, of which 14,871 have been repaired. Due to the heavy rains in the last few days, over 20 per cent of the potholes that were filled have been washed out.
***
Breach of privilege notice against MU V-C
AGE CORRESPONDENT
Mumbai, July 31
Shiv Sena legislator Rajan Vichare moved a breach of privilege motion notice against Dr Rajan Welukar, vice-chancellor, Univer-sity of Mumbai for giving wrong information to the state Assembly on Wedne-sday. He alleged that there had also been mismanagement in the University administration during Dr Welukar’s tenure.
While moving the breach of privilege motion notice, Mr Vichare said, “Six years ago, Thane Munic-ipal Corporation had giv-en a land to the University at a nominal rate for 99 years to build a satellite centre. The foundation stone was also laid on the land, but the satellite centre is yet to come up.”
“When I raised the issue in the Nagpur Winter Session last year, I was told that 60 per cent of the project had been completed, but when it was raised again in the Mumbai Sess-ion, I was informed that only 40 per cent work had been completed. This sho-ws that the administration had provided wrong information to the House,” the legislator added.
Post new comment