Most works in 8 wards shoddy: Panel

The Technical Vigilance Committee under Commissioner (TVCC) has found large-scale irregularities in the works taken up by the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagar Palike (BBMP) in eight representative wards that the vigilance committee investigated.

On the Palike commissioner’s direction, the panel scrutinised all the works taken up in the last one year at the select wards, each in the eight zones of the Palike.

The TVCC, in its report submitted to the BBMP commissioner (administration), has said that the works taken up in these wards were superfluous, faulty and of substandard quality.

The report states that in the last one year, the Palike took up 372 projects worth Rs 45.80 crore in these eight wards, but 80 per cent of them was unnecessary and all the works were shoddy. Even documents were not maintained properly, it observed.

None of the civil works has been completed satisfactorily, the report stated. At many places, drains in good condition were damaged and re-constructed badly, which may even lead to water-logging in the areas.

It has also observed that none of the road works taken up in these wards are completed satisfactorily and are not up to the IRC standards. But, bills have been cleared without even quality check, violating the rules, the report said. 

The vigilance committee stated that several rules are violated in awarding tenders to the contractors in these areas, incurring loss to the Palike.

The Palike, based on the report, has issued notices to all the officers who are responsible for the works, said Ashok Kumar, Special Commissioner (Administration). The Palike would order an inquiry into the matter after receiving their replies to the notices.