Pay & park starts sans standing committee’s nod

Nagpur: Throwing norms to the wind, Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) continues to allot works to private agencies without standing committee approval.

In the latest case, the NMC's traffic department roped in a private agency M/s Kanak Scooter Parking for running pay and park scheme from Panchsheel Square to Janta Chowk (below the flyover) and roadside.

As per NMC's records, the pay and park scheme for the particular stretch was already allotted to the private firm on October 1. Now, the traffic department has tabled a proposal before the standing committee seeking its approval in its meeting schedule on October 27.

As per rules, any work above Rs25 lakh needs standing panel's nod. Norms can be relaxed only in emergency cases like natural calamities, fire related incidents etc.

As per traffic department's proposal, it has received three applications for the pay and park scheme on this stretch. One of them, Prakash Anchalwar of M/s Kanak Scooter, quoted 20.62% above the NMC's offset rate.

The NMC has already allotted the pay and park contract to the firm for a year and also took Rs3.25 lakh as security deposit. As per conditions of the contract, the firm was supposed to pay the remaining amount in nine months before 5th of every month.

Sources questioned the urgency in this case as tendering process was completed and the department could have waited for the standing panel's nod.

In the past, NMC had given work to private agencies without tendering in four cases and all were exposed by TOI.

Not first time

Municipal commissioner ordered civic administration to purchase stationary worth Rs50 lakh during civic elections

Private agency IT Craft Technologies roped in for running an awareness drive under Smart City project without calling open bids

Four years ago, water works department issued work orders worth Rs35.77 crore to three private contractors

Traffic department allotted work for preparing environmental status report to a private agency in October 2015

Dhantoli Zone issued work order for cleaning Gandhisagar Lake to a private agency in September 2015