The CM was also scheduled to attend the bhoomi pujan of two more civic projects, including the one at Charholi.
AMIDST threats of protests by the Maratha Kranti Morcha and controversy over Charholi housing project under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is likely to arrive in Pimpri-Chinchwad on Monday for bhoomi pujan of Chapekar Museum.
The CM was also scheduled to attend the bhoomi pujan of two more civic projects, including the one at Charholi, but the events have been postponed, the civic administration said. Throughout the day, speculation was rife as to whether Fadnavis would make it to Pimpri-Chinchwad after the cancellation of his visit to Pandharpur. In the evening, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) administration said the CM’s office has confirmed his visit.
Opposition parties had alleged irregularities in the tendering process of the Charholi project and its high cost, compared to the one being implemented by the Pimpri-Chinchwad Newtownship Development Authority (PCNDA).
Municipal Commissioner Shravan Hardikar, however, denied that the bhoomi pujan of the Charholi project has been postponed following the objections.
On Saturday, at a meeting of DISHA (District Infrastructure Scheme Advisory Committees), a resolution was passed to seek a probe by the Union Ministry of Urban Development into the tendering process for the housing projects of the PCMC. Shiv Sena MP Shivajirao Adhalrao-Patil had presided over the meeting.
DISHA member Sulbha Ubale said the PCMC was implementing the Charholi project for the poor for which it has accepted a tender much above the estimated cost. “Some bidders who had been threatened were prevented from filing the tender. Of the 10-12 bidders, only two-three filed tenders,” Ubale said.
Alleging that there was a bid-rigging cartel in operation at the PCMC, she said the PCMC will have to pay more for the project because of the irregularities. Ubale said the PCMC had accepted tenders at 1.88 per cent more than the estimated cost, while the PCNTDA had accepted tenders 7 per cent below the estimated cost of the tender.
Asked about the development, Adhalrao-Patil said: “Since the Prime Minister’s scheme was being defamed, DISHA members felt that they were duty bound to seek a probe.” He said he has decided to write to the central ministry seeking a probe and action against those guilty. “I will also be writing to the Prime Minister about this,” he said.
Activist Maruti Bhapkar said along with the Charholi project, the PCMC was implementing three other projects under the PMAY and is constructing around 4,000 flats.
Compared to the cost of the projects for the same number of flats, being implemented by the PCNTDA under the PMAY, the PCMC will end up paying Rs 135 crore more. Bhapkar said each flat, of 300 sqft, in Charholi would cost above Rs 9.16 lakh while a flat of the same size being constructed by the PCNTDA would cost around Rs 6.47 lakh.
“Why is there such a huge difference in the cost of the flats that are of the same size, in the same civic jurisdiction and under the same project?” he asked.
At Charholi, the the PCMC is planning to construct 1,442 flats, at Borhadewadi there would be 1,288 flats, at Ravet there is a plan for 934 flats and Akurdi will have 568 flats. Bhapkar said the PCMC had not included infrastructure clause in the tenders for these projects while the PCNTDA had included it. “Yet, the per sqft rate, of Rs 2,844, for the PCMC projects was almost the same that of the PCNTDA at Rs 2,846,” he said.
Bhapkar said that in the Charholi project, the PCMC will end up paying Rs 38 crore more compared to PCNTDA. “Similarly, for the Borhdewadi project, it would be paying Rs 40 crore more. And in Akurdi and Ravet projects, it would end up paying 55 crore more,” he said, adding that in all, the PCMC will pay around Rs 135 crore more if it did not cancel the tenders and called for fresh tenders.
The Borhdewadi project has been put on hold for now. Conceding that the tenders had been accepted above the estimated cost, the PCMC chief said, compared to the flats being constructed by the PCNTDA, flats of the PCMC would be superior, specification-wise and quality-wise. “Specification-wise, our flats will be more sturdy and have more longevity,” he said.
Hardikar said whether it was the use of material, like aluminum, or the finishing, the PCMC has picked the best ones with a view to ensure quality and longevity. He said flats under the PMAY are affordable but not cheap. “Our design, parameters and quality is certainly different… Two products by two different developers cannot be compared,” he said. He said they were using aluminum while the PCNTDA was using steel. “Also, we are investing in solar power for public utilities, including lifts. Our items are certainly quality wise better,” he said. He said they were constructing 14 floor buildings, while the PCNTDA was constructing 11 floor ones. “We will need more material and a deeper foundation,” he said. Denying irregularities in the tendering process, he said there was competition among bidders and they accepted tenders at 1.88 per cent above the estimated cost.
The ruling BJP in the PCMC also denied irregularities. BJP general secretary Sarang Kamtekar said the PCNTDA project was being implemented on a developed piece of land, meaning infrastructure facilities are already in place. “Also, the PCNTDA was implementing the project at one particular site in Sector 12 whereas the PCMC was implementing the project at 10 different sites.”
Opposition leader at the PCMC, Datta Sane, said: “This will cost the PCMC heavily. Honest tax payers’ money is being unnecessarily squandered. There should be re-tendering and proper competition among the bidders.”