BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is going to table a proposal worth Rs. 22 Cr 49 lakh. to construct a elevated tree walk near Kamala Nehru Park in the upcoming standing committee meeting. Recently, BMC had floated tenders to invite contractors. Only one contractor has shown interest in the said construction and sought Rs.five crore more than the estimated cost.
The Hydraulic Engineering department has put this proposal to a standing committee.
According to proposal, many tourists often visit Kamala Nehru Park and Firoz Shah Park at Malabar hill. Therefore, the BMC has planned to construct an elevated tree walk on the slope of Malabar hill so tourists can see different types of birds and small animals of the park. BMC had appointed M/s I M K Architects and M/s structwel Designers and consultant private limited as consultant. These two firms have submitted Architectural Designed and Structural layout and fixed Rs. 12 Crore 66 lakhs estimated cost for the project.
Accordingly tenders were floated and M/S H MV associates had submitted their tender. The said company is ready to undertake construction but sought Rs. 18 Crore 99 lakh rupees for completion of work. The said cost is 49.50 percent more than the estimated cost. BMC then sought clarification of the increased cost.
HMV associate in his clarification stated that it needs to appoint more workers and will have to take care about ecosystem and silence zone rules on the construction site. Company will have to erect 237 pillars for the said tree walk. The said work is on the slope of the hill and the work is risky to bring equipment on the hill. The company also stated that it needs to bring wood from foreign countries. It also stated that due to covid equipment prices have increased.
BMC further negotiated and the company reduced its cost and is ready to work for Rs. 17 cr. 73 lakh . After adding taxes and other expenses, the cost of the said construction goes up to 22 Cr 49 lakh. The said company has done the same kind of work in Malaysia.
But opposition parties are not satisfied with BMC's proposal "We will seek a visit to the said site, we want to see what kind of work BMC is going to do there. There is only one contractor who has shown interest and there was no competition in the tendering process" said Prabhakar Shinde, BJP group leader of BMC.
