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NMC targets advertisment revenue from Starbus

Tuesday, 24 December 2013 11:54 administrator
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The Times of India           24.12.2013

NMC targets advertisment revenue from Starbus

NAGPUR: Three years after procuring 240 Starbuses under Central government's Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) scheme, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) is likely to generate revenue through advertisements on these buses. The civic body has received proposal from a private agency in this regard.

This is one of the two proposals likely to be decided by the city transport committee which is meeting on Tuesday. The private agency has offered to pay premium of Rs12,000 per bus per year for getting advertisement rights.

According to NMC's data, the civic body has not earned revenue from advertisement on the 240 Starbuses since their induction into city bus service in 2010. NMC invite interested agencies on many occasions but did not get any response. The fresh proposal is being seen as a ray of hope for the city bus service.

Another proposal is related to preparing detailed project report for procuring 200 new buses and construction of city bus terminal and parking lots under JNNURM. The standing committee had given approval this proposal last month. Agency for preparing the report will be decided after the transport committee clears the proposal.

However, the proposal to put an end to the long pending dispute between the NMC and Starbus operator Vansh Nimay Infraprojects Private Limited (VNIL) over royalty could not find place in the meeting's agenda again, raising many eyebrows.

The private agency has offered to pay premium of 12,000 per bus per year for getting advertisement rights on 240 Starbuses. 

 

Civic body to appoint IIT to revive clogged Powai lake

Tuesday, 24 December 2013 11:41 administrator
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The Times of India           24.12.2013

Civic body to appoint IIT to revive clogged Powai lake

MUMBAI: A torrent of complaints about the deteriorating status of the Powai lake has finally nudged the civic body into action: The BMC has proposed to appoint IIT-Bombay to suggest steps to clean the lake and give it a new lease of life.

The proposal will be tabled in the next standing committee meeting on Thursday.

The water body, which is spread over 600 sq hectares, is now clogged with water hyacinths, filled with garbage dumped into it and contaminated with sewage water flowing into it. Several drain lines have been leaking, resulting in sewage water getting contaminated in the water.

According to civic officials, the cleaning up of the lake would be done in phases. In the first round, the BMC will fix all the drains, while IIT-B will work on a natural water-filter bed at drain points to check pollutants. Officials said that several new technologies developed by the IIT would be used to map the lake and study sediments found in it. The BMC will also use effective methods to remove the debris, as suggested by the institute.

The next phase will focus on the removal of water hyacinths and de-silting of the water body.

In the last phase, the officials will beautify the lake, which will include solar lighting and floating pavements. The draft plan also talks about water sports and leisure fishing.

The cost of the entire project has been estimated at Rs 92 lakh.

Residents living near the lake have time and again petitioned the BMC to undertake steps to clean the lake and to ensure that the flora and fauna can be restored. They have also taken up signature campaigns and a project called "revitalization of Powai lake" under which, they urge people not to throw garbage in the water.

 

GHMC to Rethink on Hiring Consultants

Tuesday, 24 December 2013 08:50 administrator
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The New Indian Express             24.12.2013

GHMC to Rethink on Hiring Consultants

The general body of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) took a strong objection to officials initiating works without the approval of the standing committee or the general body.

Taking the views of corporators seriously, mayor M Majid Hussain said the GHMC decided to examine the need for having consultancy services for its projects and spending huge amounts on them though the GHMC had qualified engineers among its staff.

He asked the zonal commissioners, additional commissioners and engineer-in-chief to submit a detailed report on utilisation of consultancy agencies, the expenditure incurred on projects at the next meeting of the standing committee. 

When MIM corporator Zulfiqar wanted to know under what rules was the GHMC awarding  consultancy service contracts to private agencies though GHMC engineers can do such jobs, engineer-in-chief R Dhan Singh failed to give a convincing reply.

Commissioner Somesh Kumar intervened to  say that the GHMC would frame a policy in this regard and submit a detailed a report to the standing committee. Agreeing with  the concerns of the members, he said GHMC engineers were not experts in taking up specialised works like construction of flyovers, road over-bridges and under-bridges.

“Our engineers are busy with routine works and we don’t have much time to deal with specialised works which are technical. All these issues will be studied in detail and a reported submitted to the Committee,” he said.

Syed Amin Jaffri, MLC, alleged a big scam in the award of consultancy services to  private agencies. He wanted the GHMC to utilise the services of retired engineers who were experts in the project works as being done by AP Transco and other departments.

The council asked the commissioner to review the bad condition of roads and allot work to contractors in consultation with the corporators and public representatives concerned. It also resolved to allot `50 lakh for each ward for road repairs.

The council also asked commissioner to  conduct a detailed area-wise survey of the requirement of sanitation units and refurbish the mas per the requirements.

The general body asked the commissioner to take action against illegal manufacturers of oil and illegal plastic manufacturers, and to strictly enforce the ban on plastic of below 40 microns thickness.

 
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