Mayor Rajni Abbi has convened a second meeting of MCD House — for the first time this year – to clear all pending projects before the model code of conduct
comes into effect from January next year. Despite getting additional
fund of Rs 2.05 crore per councillor sanctioned this year, the MCD could
release just Rs 60 lakh due to shortage of funds. However, 50% of the
amount is lying unused. Worried councillors have been visiting MCD
headquarters to get their projects approved. But, delay due to technical
reasons has added to their frustration.

At the MCD House
meeting on Monday, councillors protested against “faulty e-governance”
saying that for the last 23 days no tender could be processed. Chaos
marked the meeting as they raised the issue. Councillors said that
despite bringing it to the notice of the officials concerned, little has
been done. “Since elections are approaching, many developmental
projects have been put on hold. When MCD is spending crores on the
e-governance project then why are there glitches? Tech Mahindra,
the company responsible for the e-governance project, should be
penalized,” said Yogender Chandolia, chairman, MCD standing committee.

MCD commissioner KS Mehra, addressing the House, said, “We are shifting
the server. We started e-tendering in 2007 and the work was outsourced
to a private firm, which had a server in Noida. Now that we have set up
our own data centre we are in the process of shifting the server. The
server was down from November 24-28 but as the work couldn’t be
completed in the stipulated period, the processing of tenders was
affected for a few more days. Gradually things have got better. From
November 29 to December 12, MCD has approved 513 tenders.” But Mehra’s
assurance failed to pacify angry councillors who demanded manual
processing of the tenders.