The High Court on Tuesday rapped the BBMP, saying that it will pass a harsh order in two days which may not be in the ‘good interest of its officers sitting comfortably in BBMP office’.
A division bench headed by Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi orally said this after it was informed that the civic agency had not made any progress after the last order passed on June 6, 2022. The matter has been posted to Thursday.
In the last order, the court had directed the BBMP to finalise the contract with the American Technology Solutions company, which operates Python machines, to fill potholes at the rate of Rs 551 per sq metre.
During the hearing, a senior counsel appearing for the petitioners informed the court that more than 1,500 potholes still remain in the city and both the BBMP and the company are at loggerheads over the pricing issue, while the people are suffering.
At this juncture, the bench said that it is time for the court to direct the Army to interfere and take care of the roads. “We will remove everybody and direct some Army agency to take over… We will direct the state government to suspend your chief commissioner… They all are totally incompetent. We will pass orders which will not be in the best interest of BBMP,” the bench said orally.
Meanwhile, BBMP counsel informed the court that a provisional work order has been issued with both parties agreeing on a final consolidated rate of 598 per sqm, excluding GST.
“The counsel for BBMP submits that the work of repair of potholes has been assigned to Respondent 11 (the company). He will produce the agreement entered between the BBMP and Respondent 11 as well as the work orders. He will also produce the joint survey report. Put up the day after tomorrow at 10.30 am. The chief commissioner BBMP and the concerning officers shall be present before the court,” it said.
(Published 28 June 2022, 19:59 IST)
JOIN US