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Shiv Sena-led BMC passes Rs 30-crore roads contract, opposition cries foul

The contract was to restore roads in the H-west municipal ward, which comprises areas across Bandra, Khar and Santacruz. The contract was allotted to Ms AB Infrabuild, which quoted Rs 29.4 crore, 13 per cent below the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) estimate.

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The Shiv Sena-led civic standing committee passed Rs 30-crore road works contract in less than two minutes on Wednesday, amid protests from the Opposition, which alleged that the Sena was backing tainted contractors and approving contracts without discussion.

The contract was to restore roads in the H-west municipal ward, which comprises areas across Bandra, Khar and Santacruz. The contract was allotted to Ms AB Infrabuild, which quoted Rs 29.4 crore, 13 per cent below the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) estimate.

The Opposition alleged that the contract was skewed. The Roads department is already embroiled in a controversy after Mayor Snehal Ambekar, a Sena corporator, wrote a "confidential" letter to BMC chief Ajoy Mehta, demanding a high-level probe into the city's road works.

"The Sena is backing the contractors. They wanted to pass the contracts in a hurry so that the new rules brought in by Mehta don't apply. The contracts include transportation of debris, which is under scanner in the roads scam. They also include use of sand metal," said Samajwadi Party corporator Rais Shaikh.

According to civic officials, several roads in the area are in a poor condition. Besides, digging by utility companies, water-logging, and leakage from water mains have caused further damage, due to which the BMC felt there was a need to improve the condition in a phased manner.

"This is nothing but a bid to protect the contractors. We wanted to felicitate the Mayor for her letter that exposed corruption. The Sena can give the contract to anyone since they rule the BMC. We only wanted a debate on the issue but they did not allow us. So we had to walk out," said MNS corporator Sandeep Deshpande.

Mehta had recently tweaked tender conditions for roads contracts to bring in transparency and ensure fair participation. Following Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis's diktat to clean its rotten tendering system, Mehta moved the entire system in the Roads department online. The Congress claimed the BJP, too, was backing the Sena. "The BJP is a part of the corruption in the Roads department. The contracts must be scrapped till the BMC applies the new rules to these tenders," said Congress corporator Devendra Ambekar.

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