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How Rs 23 cr job costs Rs 83 crore

Thursday, 27 August 2009 10:14 administrator
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Hindustan Times 27.08.2009

How Rs 23 cr job costs Rs 83 crore

The civic chief is now flouting his own rule.

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner Jairaj Phatak is preparing a proposal to revise a contract for concretisation of four roads, originally estimated at Rs 23.25 crore, to Rs 80.93 crore – a nearly 250 per cent increase.

In a circular issued on June 6, Phatak had said no more than 15 per cent variation (plus or minus) would be acceptable in any new contract proposal, even announcing this in a Standing Committee meeting in July.

The committee had cleared the original proposal in February 2007 for two years – till December 2009. The upward revision is due to the inclusion of additional construction of two bridges on the Mithi river, both about 80 m in length.

Phatak said, “We’ve decided to relax the circular till the Assembly elections are over because after the election code of conduct comes into force, it will be difficult to clear the proposal. Development work should not stop, so we will freeze these norms only after elections.”

Any contract above Rs 50,000 awarded by the BMC needs the invitation of bids and the contract is awarded to the lowest bidder. In practice, bids are invited, then approved by the Standing Committee, after which fresh proposals are propped up, increasing the scope of the original contract.

Ravindra Waikar, chairman of the Standing Committee said, “Work should not get delayed just because of the elections. And the same contractor is doing work in a nearby area, so this proposal is acceptable.”

 

Pay property tax at BangaloreOne

Thursday, 27 August 2009 09:17 administrator
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Deccan Herald 27.08.2009

Pay property tax at BangaloreOne
Bangalore, August 27, DHNS:

BangaloreOne centres in the City have started accepting property taxes for the year 2009-‘10. The facility, which was earlier available only at BBMP Help Centres, will now be available at all the 53 centres in the City.


All BangaloreOne centres will accept applications from 8 am to 8 pm, seven days a week.
Citizens paying property tax at the BangaloreOne centres have been requested to bring the application number of the previous year’s property tax (2008-‘09). This is applicable for taxes paid both with Form 4 and Form 5. SAS application numbers are a must for all the properties that come under the old CMCs and TMC, but which are now under BBMP limits.

Citizens whose properties come under the old BBMP areas can also give their old property ID as an alternative, but officials at the e-governance department said that application numbers of last year’s tax forms are preferred.Assistance to fill up the forms are not available at the centres, and citizens are expected to submit filled-in forms. Fresh forms (4 and 5) are being sold at the centres. Applications for filing property taxes for previous years will not be undertaken at BangaloreOne. No charges will be levied for this service. Log on to www.bangaloreone.gov.in

 

Gandhinagar to be garbage-free zone

Thursday, 27 August 2009 09:14 administrator
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Deccan Chronicle 27.08.2009

Gandhinagar to be garbage-free zone

August 27th, 2009
By Our Correspondent

Bengaluru, Aug. 26: With Bengaluru fast changing its reputation from garden city to garbage city, the BBMP is experimenting with creating a “zero garbage zone” in Gandhinagar, which with its many shops, cinema halls and markets sees a floating population of around 12 to 15 lakh every day, and generates a huge amount of rubbish.

“The crowded nature of the locality made it an ideal experimental ground for the garbage-free zone pilot project,” explains BBMP additional commissioner V.P. Ikkeri, adding that small dustbins have been placed on the roads in Gandhinagar and public announcements are being made about using them to dump garbage. Awareness is being created on keeping the area clean with the help of Prahari vehicles mounted with public announcement systems. “This is a simple initiative to create awareness among the public to keep Bengaluru litter-free,” he says.

Around 50 mobile containers have been engaged to clear the garbage collected in the bins and tippers are being used at to ensure that garbage does not spill out and litter the streets.

BBMP has sought the cooperation of the traders’ association in making the project a success and plans to install a public announcement system at street corners to announce the need to use dustbins and keep the city clean. “The traders are already cooperating with us in this effort. The idea will be replicated in other localities like Malleswaram and Rajajinagar,” says the additional commissioner.

The BBMP is also painting the walls in the area with social messages exhorting people to stop defacing them.

Paintings explaining Karnataka’s rich heritage and culture will decorate the walls instead with the help of advertising agencies in the city at a nominal cost, Mr Ikeri adds.

 
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