The municipal corporators and members of the standing committee have written to the BMC, urging it to initiate an audit of contractors who were awarded contracts to maintain the gardens and open spaces of the island city and suburban belt.
Owing to the pandemic, the BMC slashed the budget for maintaining gardens and open spaces by 50 per cent in the proposed budget.
Besides, the BMC also cancelled multiple tenders that were floated
for appointing contractors to carry out maintenance of gardens and open spaces in the city.
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The BMC had also instructed contractors to cut down costs of ongoing maintenance work by 30- 50 per cent.
Meanwhile, senior BJP corporator and member of the BMC’s standing and work’s committees Rajeshree Shirwadkar has dashed out a letter to the civic body, demanding an audit on the contractors. Shirwadkar said the contractors don’t show the exact expenses and often present inflated bills.
“I have carried out site visits and have found out that contractors are not doing what they are supposed to do. They are also showing high expenses than used,” Shirwadkar said.
“As per the expenses projected by the contractors, in the gardens, at least three security guards are appointed and each of them gets a monthly amount of Rs 15,000. However, after conducting a visit, I have found that in most gardens only one guard has been appointed,” she said. Shirwadkar maintained that this is just the tip of the iceberg and a detailed audit needs to be conducted by the BMC.
Meanwhile, a senior official from the gardens’ cell said that the estimated cost of the tenders has been revised due to budget cost and many contractors are acting as per the new cost.
