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RWAs allege nexus for delay in civic works

BMP awarding contracts to former corporators and their relatives
Last Updated 29 November 2009, 19:09 IST

 
This, the RWAs allege, has been causing delays in completing the projects. Office-bearers of some prominent RWAs say that most of the contracts for civic projects were being routinely awarded to former corporators and their relatives and associates.

Pointing out that an unholy nexus between BBMP officials, politicians and contractors was affecting civic programmes across the City, the RWA office bearers said those who are part of the nexus use their clout to delay work which ultimately benefitted them.

Voicing her grievance against the interminable delay, Hamsa Govindaraj, an RWA member from Domlur, said the slab-laying work on pavements, which could be completed within a month, was being dragged on for nearly three months.

Upmarket Domlur is among many other areas where contractors resort to feet dragging to rake in profits because of the consequent cost escalation.  For instance, road laying at J P Nagar Eighth Phase has been held up for weeks - for no apparent reason. Anantha Padmanabha, a local RAW member, says: “The whole place was a mess when work on laying the road began. The contractor dug up the existing road and then all work came to a standstill for weeks together. Gravel was dumped at the site which caused more delay. It took nearly six month to complete the job.”

At MN Krishna Rao Road in Basavanagudi, the pavements were constructed in a shoddy manner, leaving the residents aggrieved. Residents of Victoria Layout suspect a politician-contractor nexus which, over time, has grown so strong as to have extended to family members and associates.

Citing an example of how is it “intentionally delayed”, Victoria Layout RWA president Usha Medappa said: “Twelve years ago we filed a case before the Lok Adalat that sewage water was mixing with the storm-water drain. We wanted the problem, which posed health hazards, to be rectified. About four years ago, the court delivered a judgment in our favour. And yet the work that should ideally have been completed within a year took close to three years. The result is that the road continues to be in a mess and residents suffer,” Medappa said.

When contacted, BBMP commissioner Bharatlal Meena said that contracts are awarded on merit, denying that political affiliation was the sole basis. On the delay in executing projects he promised to “see to it” that the programmes are executed within the stipulated time.

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(Published 29 November 2009, 19:09 IST)

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