Another advertisement 'scam' in BBMP: 4 engineers in dock

In a development that comes as a reminder of advertisement hoarding scam, four BBMP engineers are under scanner for multiple violations that have allowed a contractor to gain an illegal advantage, causing losses of crores of rupees to the public exchequer.

The Urban Development Department has written to BBMP commissioner, a copy of which is available with DH, to take action in the matter 'urgently'.

The case dates back to August 2017 when the BBMP signed an 11-month contract with Ravindra Kumar for maintenance of 23 underpasses. In return, the contractor was allowed to erect 46 advertisement hoardings (two per underpass). In July 2018, the BBMP extended the contract to five years.

When the Karnataka High Court ordered the removal of all advertisement hoardings in the city, the BBMP took over the maintenance work but Kumar continued to claim that he was doing the work, the letter notes.

After the hoardings were removed, the contractor went to the court where officials failed to provide the right information to support BBMP. As a result, a provision meant for contractors who build infrastructure under PPP was wrongly applied to Ravindra Kumar, whose contract was only for maintenance. Though the court order was against the interest of the BBMP, the officials chose not to appeal.

Illegal contract extension

Instead, the executive engineer of the traffic engineering cell (TEC) Srinivas entered into a contract with Ravindra Kumar in May 2020. This time, Kumar was given rights to advertise in more places under the new advertisement bylaw without the necessary approvals.

While the council had approved the extension of the contract till August 2022, the engineers extended it till 2025 by taking May 2020 as the origin date, the department noted.
The BBMP Special Commissioner (administration) has now been directed to issue a notice to Srinivas as well as Superintendent Engineer (Road and Infrastructure Division) Basavaraj Kabade, Assistant Engineer (TEC) Ashwini and to Somashekhar S, who retired as chief engineer recently.

In 2016, the BBMP was rocked by a Rs 2000 crore advertisement hoardings scam with even IAS officers named by the whistleblower.

In the present case, sources in the department said, the contractor was linked to a former mayor. "Officials are under scanner as prima facie, they are responsible for violations at multiple levels. The corporation has lost crores of rupees," the source said.