Indian Express 10.08.2010
MCD’s streetlight project flounders in the dark; budget revised by Rs 12 cr
Express News Service Tags : MCD’s streetlight project, delhi Posted: Tue Aug 10 2010, 01:56 hrs
New Delhi: Even as uncertainty looms large over the third phase of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s streetlight upgradation project, the civic body has revised its existing budget contract by Rs 12 crore.The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) justified the the budgetary increase by stating that 26 new stretches have been added to the list of roads in the second phase, where streetlights are to be upgraded for the upcoming event. The initial contract, dated June 2009 and budgeted at Rs 60 crore for covering 157 km, has now been revised to Rs 72 crore.
The roads added to the list — including Hauz Khas Village Main Road, Savitri Cinema Road, Shaheed Surya Sen Marg, BC Pal Marg, Lotus Temple Marg, Veer Savarkar Marg and Shiv Mandir Marg — lead to the Games venues, training venues, hospitals, historical locations, hotels and tourist areas. The expenditure for upgrade of streetlights on nine of these 26 roads would be charged under the Commonwealth Games head.
When asked to comment on the reason behind revising the budget without issuing fresh tenders, MCD Engineering department officials said it was done due to the inclusion of new street-scaped road stretches for the Games. “If a fresh tender was invited, there was the possibility of receiving higher rates as well as taking more time. So, finally, a view was taken that since the rates in the present contract were reasonable and the contractor had agreed to carry out the work at prevailing rates in the present contract itself, the existing contract could be revised,” said Subhash Arya, leader of MCD house.
Incidentally, MCD’s proposal document for the revision of existing contract states that “as per the direction given by the Delhi government, the work on street-scaping and streetlights was required to be completed as early as possible and latest by mid-July as they are related to the Games”.
Even as the corporation claims that its second phase of upgrade of streetlights is nearing completion, it seems to have nothing to say on the third phase of the project — which, according to many, will not be ready in time for the Games.
As part of the last phase, the MCD was required to install new upgraded streetlights along 704 km of the road. However, when asked to comment in this regard, it claimed that it has “not received Rs 200 crore for the project from the Delhi government so far.”
As per its records, MCD has been able to complete only 82 per cent of the work related to the upgrade of streetlights for the Games.
