Mumbai: Bharaitya Janata Party MLA Mihir Kotecha has asked the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation Chief Iqbal Singh Chahal to probe corruption in the Mumbai beautification project.
Kotecha in a letter to Chahal said that 'match-fixing' is running unabated in select beautification works. In a letter he said that Central Purchase Department has floated tenders for installation of street furniture across the city despite it being constituted for procuring equipment and medicines for health department.
Mihir Kotecha raises questions on tender by CPD
“In one such project, the Central Purchase Department (CPD) has floated tenders for the installation of street furniture across Mumbai. But is there a need to spend money to buy street furniture worth Rs 263 crore from CPD? Because beautification projects cannot be implemented within the purview of the Central Purchase Department. The main objective of CPD is to procure equipment and medicines for the health department,” Kotecha wrote.
He further raised the issue that CPD is not related to such skills and experience and that they have only one civil engineer and rest are from other departments. He questioned if the process was carried out to favour someone.
He further said that the Roads and Transport Department, which is responsible for such works, should ideally invite the tenders under supervision of the Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects).
"But the tender was floated by CPD without this happening so it is suspected to be a collusion between the contractor and the authorities," he alleged.
Mulitple errors in the tender
Kotecha said there are multiple errors in the tender including absence of locations of installation of street furniture in bid documents.
"The 13 different types of furniture has to be supplied by a single bidder and the Earnest Money Deposit is Rs 5.30 crore. The models have to pass the test conducted by VJTI or IIT-Bombay. How did select models of certain companies pass the sample test," he questioned.
“Importantly, while the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation is installing solar-powered street furniture, the furniture mentioned in the tender is outdated and not in line with the vision of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to beautify Mumbai. Due to many such errors doubts and question marks are being raised on this entire tender process,” Kotecha pointed out.
Casts doubt on bidders
The BJP leader casted a doubt on the three companies that participated in the bidding. “Only three companies have participated in the bid, namely J Kumar, Shantinath Roadways and VNC Infraprojects. Two of these are companies that have not previously worked for the supply of street furniture and have submitted only supporting bids. That means Shantinath Roadways seems to have taken care of how the company will win in this bid,” he said.
The MLA further added in the letter, “I can give a more in-depth analysis of the flaws in the tender of Rs 263 crore, I think this letter is enough to prove how this tender is corrupt, unscientific and for the benefit of a particular company. Therefore, I hope that you will realise the seriousness and reality of this tender, which spoils the beauty of the city and investigate it from the Anti Corruption Bureau.”
