Corporators in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) have alleged a big scam in the project of installation of bio-toilets in the city slums. They have demanded a vigilance inquiry into the tender process saying that civic body’s proposal for this project has a huge difference between estimated and quoted costs.
The BMC has invited tenders for installation of bio-toilets in city slums. Congress corporator Sheetal Mhatre alleged that the nexus between civic officials and contractors has resulted in a scam in this project.
Raising the issue in the civic standing committee meeting on Tuesday, Ms Mhatre said, “The estimated cost of bio-toilets project mentioned in the tenders was Rs 140 crore, however contractors have quoted Rs 212 crore for it. How can there be such a huge difference in the costs ”
The variation in the tender costs is from below five per cent to above 75 percent. Apart from the huge difference between the estimated and quoted rates, the involvement of blacklisted companies such as Omkar and Landmark also points towards officials-corporator nexus, she said.
Mumbai has an efficient sewage disposable system, so there is no point wasting an exorbitant amount of money for the construction of bio-toilets or RCC community toilets, she said. Instead the same amount could be used for laying sewer lines which are economical, long lasting and maintenance free, she added. Following this, standing committee chairman Shailesh Phanse directed the civic administration to provide detailed information about the proposal in the next meeting.
