The Deccan Chronicle 02.09.2010
BBMP goes easy on contractorsSept. 1: While the BBMP council has accused the Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Limited (KRIDL) of executing substandard work and withdrawn the projects given to it, it has failed to take action against its own contractors, who are sometimes guilty of worse shoddy work, point out civic groups in the city.
The reason is not hard to find, they say, claiming that contractors get away with mediocre work because many of the corporators themselves hold benami contract licences or are related to the contractors, some of whom are also otherwise well connected politically.
Chairman of the Citizen Action Forum (CAF) N. S. Mukunda says while projects entrusted to KRIDL have been withdrawn without even subjecting them to a quality test, the job of repairing roads damaged in the recent rains will once again go to contractors who are against outsourcing such work to government or other agencies.
“The contractors formed a cartel in 1992 and introduced the practice of splitting the contracts among themselves to prevent outsiders from bagging civic jobs,” he claims.
KRIDL , meanwhile has been left wondering why the projects given to it were withdrawn without even a show cause notice being issued to it. The agency has been filling potholes, constructing houses under the Basic Services to Urban Poor (BSUP) scheme, segregating garbage and installing rain water harvesting structures in BBMP buildings.
BBMP commissioner Siddaiah said the work entrusted to KRIDL had been withdrawn as the council was not satisfied with the way it was being carried out. “The overwhelming opinion of the council should be respected.” he added.
