The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will spend Rs 17 crore for the transportation of silt this year.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will spend Rs 17 crore for the transportation of silt this year. The civic body has decided to hire vehicles and machines to carry silt from minor nullahs and side drains.
According to civic officials, as the contractors have not responded to the tenders invited for minor nullah desilting, the BMC has appointed non-government organisations (NGOs) to carry out these works. The contractors will be appointed to the carry the silt and debris removed by the NGOs from minor nullahs and side drains.
The BMC has claimed to have carried out more than 20 per cent of desilting works. Last year, only five per cent desilting was done at this time of the year, said civic officials.
The BMC had given desilting contractors for the period of two years – 2015-16 and 2016-17. However, due to corruption exposed in the probe last year, the BMC revoked the contracts and invited tenders again. Accordingly, cleaning of Mithi and Vakola rivers started from March 15 and that of major nullahs from April 18. The BMC allotted desilting works of minor nullahs to NGOs as tenders for these works thrice failed to evoke a response from contractors. Large-scale irregularities were found in the transportation of silt in desilting works last year.
