Consultant of controversial Sanjaynagar project suspended

Vadodara: Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) has suspended the project management consultant (PMC) roped in for Sanjaynagar housing scheme in Warasiya area of the city. The agency was to oversee the project right from the tendering stage.
The Sanjaynagar housing scheme is mired in a row ever since two notices were issued by the civic body to the developer on December 4. One of the notices was regarding a change in the stakes of the three partners - Narayan Realty, Sai Ruchi and DMC Infra Developers - who had formed a joint venture for the project. The second notice was regarding the stormwater drain that was passing through the plot where slums stood. As per the tender conditions, this was to be made by the developer who was insisting that VMC should make it.

Sources in the civic body said WAPCOS Limited was suspended as the project management consultant soon after the notices were issued. The matter, however, had remained under wraps so far. Officials confirmed on Saturday that the suspension was done before the alleged scam came in public domain last month.

According to officials, any violations should have been brought to the notice of the civic body by the PMC. Till the time the notice was issued and even after that, VMC was holding that the developer had conducted gross violations of tender conditions and needed to be shown the door.

On being asked about the suspension of PMC, VMC commissioner Vinod Rao confirmed the action. He said the action had been taken as the agency had mismanaged the project.

In November, the VMC had also issued a show cause notice to engineer Pramod Vasava, who was posted in the housing department earlier.