BMC Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal has refuted all allegations made by
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray regarding irregularities in
BMC tenders and projects. Chahal has claimed that all projects have been implemented according to the rules and regulations without any misconduct in the bidding process.
Chahal has also denied the charges of gravel scarcity and dominance of one contractor, stating that no cement concrete contractor has stopped work due to material shortage or increased gravel prices. He further clarified that the BMC administrator was appointed by the state government after the tenure of the corporators expired on March 7, 2022, and that he has fulfilled his responsibilities diligently. Chahal stated that all claims of financial wrongdoing, poor management, anomalies, and contractor favouritism are without foundation.
Chahal asserted that the contracts for the construction of the 400 kilometre road network were awarded only to companies that met the requirements and that strict measures were included in the tenders to ensure quality. He also stated that rates had been raised since no contractor was willing to operate within the BMC's 2018 scheduled rates.
Chahal explained that the street furniture tender process was carried out using the online SAP system to ensure uniformity across all BMC departments and that the lowest bidder was awarded the contract for the installation of sanitary pad vending and incinerator machines in public restrooms. He added that contractors will be responsible for operating and maintaining these machines for the next three years.
Chahal also mentioned that the first lowest tenderer's price for the road furniture project was 4.96% higher than the project's expected cost, but after negotiations, the tender price was set at 0.01% below the expected cost. He assured that all work was supervised and carried out by the deputy chief engineer for traffic, who is familiar with the "Pedestrian First Policy" and its ten-year defect liability period.
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