Complaints of irregularity prompts BBMP to ‘drastically’ cut borewell expenditure

The BBMP has significantly reduced its expenditure on borewell digging due to complaints of irregularities in supplying water over the last few years.

A case lodged with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is said to be the reason for the cost reduction.

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BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath told reporters on Monday that requests to dig borewells would not be approved in the core areas where Cauvery water supply network has already been set up. "We are only taking requests from outlying areas such as Yelahanka, Bengaluru South, Mahadevapura, RR Nagar, etc,” he said.

He revealed the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike's plan to earmark funds for approximately 100 borewells this year, with each estimated to cost between Rs 7.5 lakh and Rs 10 lakh.

Drastic reduction

The BBMP’s estimates show a drastic reduction in the cost to dig up a single borewell.

In 2021-22, the civic body proposed to build 104 borewells at Rs 97.55 crore, which translated to Rs 94 lakh per borewell. The civic body attributed the inflated cost to creating allied infrastructure such as the pipeline system. The work was funded by the Centre’s 15th Finance Commission programme.

What led to the drastic cutting of costs is the thorough scrutiny by the BBMP chief commissioner following complaints of irregularities that dogged the civic body in the past.

Between 2016 and 2019, the BBMP reportedly spent a whopping Rs 969 crore on digging up borewells and RO plants in just five zones.

Former corporator and BJP leader N R Ramesh had filed a complaint with the ED, stating the civic body may not have taken up even 25 per cent of the estimated work.

Suspecting irregularities, the Urban Development Department (UDD) also ordered a probe into the borewell project in 2021, but there has been no progress on the ground.