Thursday 15 December 2016

BMC doles out Rs 180 crores to Consultants on Sewerage projects

BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has paid a whooping amount of Rs. 180 crores to private firms appointed for consultancy in its sewerage projects.

Ongoing inquiry in to BMC‘s Sewerage projects by RTI Activist Anil Galgali shows that the amount spent on consultancy may be much more. In reply to Galgali's RTI, Deputy Chief Engineer of BMC sewerage department has only shared the amount given to 4 consultancy firms. It revealed that a amount of Rs 180 crores was sanction to be paid to M/s Mot MacDonald Pvt. Ltd. M/s R.V. Anderson, M/s Mot MacDonald Ltd. & Associates and M/s P.H.E. Consultants. These Consultancy were appointed under 2nd phase of BMC Sewerage project for 7 different sewerage processing Zones at Colaba, Worli, Bandra, Versova, Malad, Bhandup and Ghatkopar.

The period of consultancy has lapsed in April 2015 and out of 180 crores, Rs 141.77 has already been paid to them. Payment of Rs 38.23 is due to be paid to them. BMC has clarified that no fine has been imposed on these consultancy firms. Sewerage department has given a consolidated record of these 4 consultants, not sharing details of payments & due pending to each of these individual private firms.

Apart from these four, BMC has appointed a few other firms for consultancy on its sewerage projects. They are- M/s Tata Consultancy for Water-Sewerage tunnel, M/s Wepcross for Brahmanwadi & Kadheshwari pumping stations & M/s Fishman-Prabhu for Vallabh Nagar pumping station projects. Tata Consultancy is also overlooking Colaba and Versova sewerage water treatment centre Fishman-Prabhu is consultant for Sewerage water treatment centre in Ghatkopar and Bhandup. M/s N.J.S.I.  (India) Pvt. Ltd. is offering consultacy to Worli and Bandra Sewerage Water treatment plants. While, Black & Wich are appointed as consultants for Malad Sewerage water treatment plant.

Anil Galgali says that with such a experienced talent pool of officers available with the BMC, There is no need to appoint outside private consultants. Instead of giving out hundred of crores to outside private parties, BMC could appoint other Top Quality experienced consultants of its own.

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