Mumbai News: BMC Defends ₹540 Crore Desilting Project Amid MNS Allegations Of Fraud, Negotiates Lower Bids For Nullah Cleaning

Mumbai: After the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) accused contractors and civic officials of working together to embezzle crores of rupees through desilting work, the civic body responded by defending their actions.

They explained that they had negotiated with the bidders to bring the project costs down. Originally, the bids were 3% to 10% above the estimated rates, but after negotiation, they were reduced to a range of 3% above to 20% below the original estimates, said the civic official.

The BMC has allocated Rs 540 crore for desilting nullahs and the Mithi River over the next two years. While cleaning of minor drains is set to begin in mid-March, work on major nullahs delayed due to bids exceeding the BMC's estimated rates.

The civic body received higher bids than their estimates for desilting work in several areas, including Bandra, Khar, Santacruz, parts of CST Road, Vile Parle, Mahim, Dharavi, Malad, Kandivali, Borivali, and Dahisar.

"In a recent meeting, we successfully negotiated with the bidders, and they have agreed to lower their rates. The work order will be issued soon, and desilting work will begin by mid-March," said a senior civic official.

According to the BMC’s policy, 75% of silt is removed from nullahs before the monsoon, and 15% is removed during the rainy season. Annually, around three lakh metric tonnes of silt are cleared, with the BMC spending approximately Rs 248 crore on nullah desilting last year.

The BMC usually hires a contractor for this task every year, but the process often causes delays. To address this, civic officials have decided to appoint a contractor for a two-year term to ensure timely completion of the work.

In the meantime, MNS leader Bala Nandgaonkar wrote a letter to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani, urging them to investigate the history of companies submitting bids with higher rates.

He suggested looking into how much these companies have profited in the past, stating that this investigation would ensure accountability and help prevent fraudulent activities in the future, ensuring the proper use of public funds.