The Times of India       24.09.2014  

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation suspends nine engineers for their role in e-tendering scam

MUMBAI: Municipal commissioner Sitaram Kunte on Tuesday admitted that 23 civic engineers were involved in the e-tendering scam of which nine have been suspended.

At Tuesday's general body meeting, Kunte also said that 40 contractors who were involved in the scam will be blacklisted.

Of the 17,000 e-tenders in the last two years, 412 proposals, worth a total Rs 22.34 crore, were opened within 24 hours. While 122 proposals are of works less than Rs 3 lakh, the rest are of works ranging from Rs 3 lakh up to Rs 20 lakh. But Kunte clarified that of the total 412 proposals, 229 works, which were worth a total Rs 13.07 crore, were rejected by the authorities, and 183 were completed. The lowest bid was Rs 6.41crore.

Sources said two engineers each from from P (South) and R (North), one each from F (South) and G (North) and three from K (West) have been suspended.

Corporators have demanded a third-party audit in the matter. NCP group leader Dhananjay Pisal said they were not opposed to e-tendering, but the process need to be corruption-free. "The company needs to be asked why the software had a system wherein it could be blocked. A third-party audit in this matter is very essential."

MNS leader in the BMC Sandeep Deshpande said that it is surprising that the higher-ups of the officials involved in the scam are conducting an inquiry. He demanded a third-party audit either by the anti-corruption bureau or the economic offences wing.

Other corporators demanded that Kunte, who had introduced the e-tendering system in 2012 to bring in transparency, should be held responsible "for making the city a guinea pig".

Corporator Yakub Memon complained that most of the contractors coming through the e-tendering process were not interested in delivering quality work, but only in getting the work order. Opposition leader Devendra Amberkar said it is important that rules are followed and tenders should not be invited after midnight. According to data, a tender was opened at 3.35am and closed at 8.59am on the same day in R North ward and another tender was opened at 3.25am and closed at 8.59am in R South ward.

A complete report on the matter is expected to be ready by October, said Kunte.