Councillors in Mangaluru City Corporation on Wednesday questioned Mayor Kavita Sanil for taking up her “dream project” of rebuilding the clock tower at Hampankatta without getting the approval from the council.
They questioned her on beginning the civil works when it has also not been listed under 65 projects proposed under the smart city mission.
No approval
The project has neither the approval of Mangaluru Smart City Ltd, the special purpose vehicle (SPV) (which is a company) constituted for implementing the projects under the mission, nor the council, they said. Vijaya Kumar Shetty, a councillor, claimed that the accounts section of the corporation has clearly mentioned that it has no funds to take up the ₹90-lakh project.
The former Mayor Mahabala Marla wanted to know whether any detailed project report (DPR) had been made before taking up the project.
Both the Mayor and the Commissioner Mohammed Nazir evaded direct answer to the questions raised by the councillors. They did not make it clear how civil works could be taken up without getting approval either from the council or from the SPV but said that it would be taken up under smart city mission.
The Commissioner said that the SPV is expected to approve the project in its meeting on March 2 and he, as the managing director of the company, enjoyed powers to sanction projects up to ₹10 crore.
‘Dream project’
The Mayor said that it is indeed her dream project. The corporation has taken up the project by inviting bids. But she did not give details. Ms. Sanil said that if the SPV did not approve it and if the corporation can not spare its fund for it she would somehow get the funds for it from the government.
The Mayor predicted that the Congress would come to the power in the State in the coming Assembly elections and she would bring funds from the government.
She justified the project taken up stating that it was for the mass people and the corporation was only restoring one of the icons of the city lost for road widening works.
