BBMP wants to dodge tender process for Rs 1,171-crore flood repair works

Citizen groups voice concern about massive corruption and inflated costs

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Commuters navigate pothole-ridden roads on the busy Outer Ring Road near Manyata Tech Park following heavy rains. DH FILE/PUSHKAR V

Drivers have a tough time navigating a badly damaged road in Balaji Nagar's Thigalarapalya. DH FILE/Prashanth H G

The BBMP has sought the state government’s nod to carry out road and drain repairs worth Rs 1,171 crore, dodging the transparent tender process.

The civic body cited urgency to bypass the tender process to mend roads and drains damaged in floods. It will have the powers to pick contractors of its choosing without having to be accountable.

Though the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurements (KTPP) Act allows the BBMP to float short-term tenders during emergencies, the civic body is taking shelter under section 4(A) and (G) of the act that exempt tender process during “periods of natural calamity or emergency declared by the government”.

The two sections could be invoked only during exceptional circumstances, but the BBMP is using them more often than usual, prompting concerns from citizen groups over creating grounds for corruption.

They allege the civic body would end up carrying out the project for inflated costs, while they could be executed for much lesser sums through the tender process.

The urgency it shows also makes no sense since Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Chief Commissioner Gaurav Gupta wrote to the government seeking exemptions on November 19 with a request to release Rs 1,171 crore. The government is yet to consent.

In the letter, the BBMP said the heavy rain in October and November caused damages worth Rs 1,171 crore. It said the grant will largely be utilised to repair roads and stormwater drains.

Road repair

The BBMP’s road infrastructure division sought Rs 100 crore to tar 580-km of arterial and sub-arterial roads in bad shape that are not covered under any grants.

Among 1,044-km of major roads, the letter states that 192 km is covered under the proposed high-density corridor improvement project.

While 30 km is developed under the Smart City project, 62 km is under the defect liability period.

The letter sought Rs 411.33 crore for 120 works under the stormwater drains department to remodel and strengthen the retaining walls of SWDs.

In addition, the BBMP requested Rs 50 crore to repair roads leading to eight waste processing plants and a landfill.

“About 600 compactors are sent to these plants for disposing of 4,500 tonnes of waste daily. The roads are in bad condition and need to be repaired,” the letter stated.

The civic body has estimated that it needs a whopping Rs 600 crore to asphalt 11,000 km of ward roads, while it has earmarked Rs 10 crore to set up control rooms, deploy civil defence personnel and for emergency relief work.

BBMP Chief Commissioner Gaurav Gupta defended the 4(G) exemption saying works must be executed immediately. “They pertain to flood relief emergency,” he said. “They will be given to contractors with expertise.”

He said the government may not sanction the entire Rs 1,171 crore. “We may get approval for Rs 40 or Rs 50 crore,”
Gupta said.