BMC to outsource task of caring for open spaces

Lack of manpower may force the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to outsource the task of maintaining open spaces, which it is planning to take over from the private parties. The civic body is now planning to issue tenders to appoint contractors for the maintenance of these plots.

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has asked the BMC to take back 216 open plots, which were given on the previous adoption policy and whose agreement is not valid anymore. The list of these plots, released by the civic body, includes many prominent recreational grounds and playgrounds (RGPGs), which are maintained by politicians’ trusts, corporates and gymkhanas.

However, civic activists had expressed apprehensions as to whether the BMC has the necessary workforce to maintain the open spaces. These concerns have come true, as the civic officials have said that they would soon issue tenders to appoint contractors for the upkeep of these spots.

In the first phase, the BMC has issued notices to 36 parties asking them to hand over the open spaces allotted under the adoption policy.

“The notices were initially issued to only those plots which the BMC was confident of maintaining on its own. However, it would not be possible for all the 216 plots. Hence we will invite tenders to maintain the rest of the open spaces. The process of issuing notices and inviting tenders will be done simultaneously so that when these plots are taken over, we are ready to maintain them,” said a senior civic official.

The civic body, in the second phase, is planning to send notices to 25 parties, which have been allotted open spaces. The process of sending notices and acquisition of plots would be carried out phase-wise, said the official. To pre-empt possible attempts of private agencies to stall its action of taking over open spaces, the BMC has also filed caveats in the high court and city civil courts.