Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Friday finalised a contractor for cleaning Dadar, Mahim beaches for the next six years. The Hindu had earlier reported how a short-listed contractor backed out at the last minute, making the civic body repeat the entire process. However, the new contractor was appointed amid controversy that one of the partners is a BMC engineer’s son.
The civic body appoints contractors to maintain major beaches such as Juhu, Versova, Girgaum and Dadar. The contract for the maintenance of Dadar and Mahim beaches had expired in June and the solid waste management department had invited bids in February. The contract is for a period of six years and costs ₹11 crore.
The bids received a good response and the department finalised M/s Vishal Protection. The proposal was brought on the standing committee’s agenda, but before the committee could deliberate on it, the contractor backed out citing high costs of labourers, fuel, and high taxes.
This forced the department to withdraw the proposal from the meeting. The last-minute withdrawal sent the department into a tizzy as finalising another contractor would take months. This, at a time when monsoon had set in and high tide was bringing tonnes of trash to the coastline every day. Dadar-Mahim beaches produce 12 metric tonnes (mt) of trash per day in dry season and 45 mt per day during monsoon.
Dadar and Mahim beaches have also seen citizen initiatives for clean-up since the old contractor was accused of shoddy work.
“We then decided to have a temporary contractor up to August. Meanwhile, tenders were re-invited and after due process, we have finalised another company. We will blacklist Vishal Protection,” an officer in the solid waste management department said.
After the fresh bidding, the department found that one of the bidders, M/s Coastal Clear Enviro, could not be given the go-ahead unless a legal opinion is sought. One of the partners in this company is the son of a BMC engineer from a different department.
The legal department ruled that since the engineer had nothing to do with the process, his son could be allowed to bid.
The same company emerged the lowest bidder as it quoted around 12.49% below the estimate. The final contract cost now stands at ₹11.21 crore.