UDD rejects Rs 72.51-crore works in Chamarajpet

The Urban Development department (UDD) has rejected three works – amounting to Rs 72.51 crore – pertaining to Chamarajpet Assembly constituency. UDD’s approval and Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai’s consent are usually obtained by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) as the project is funded by the state government under Amruth Nagarothana programme.

After floating tenders, the BBMP had sent four separate files to the UDD for ‘administrative’ and ‘tender’ approvals. Two months later, the department rejected all the files for not following tender conditions.

The Rs 72.51 crore is a part of the Rs 6,000 crore grant sanctioned by the state government for undertaking development works across all constituencies of Bengaluru. A majority of the allocation has been provided for asphalting of roads, fixing of drains and footpaths among others.

In a letter to the BBMP dated January 3, the UDD has cited the lowest bidder of three works did not provide ‘work done certificate’ as prescribed in the tender condition. The fourth work was rejected on the grounds that a sum of Rs 4.40 crore, earmarked for roads and drains, has been diverted for construction of a building.

Sources close to MLA Zameer Ahmed Khan termed the rejection of approvals a “politically-motivated decision.”