MC proposes 15% cut in Rakh bagh swing maintenance rates

Ludhiana: Members of the Finance and Contracts Committee (F&CC) have decided to stay the proposal of giving tenders for annual maintenance of the MC swimming pool and renovation of KG swimming pool for children in Rakh Bagh.
Discussing the remaining proposals on Tuesday, they gave the nod to extending the contract of Hero Cycles limited for maintenance of Rakh Bagh. However, the company has been asked to reduce the rates of swings to at least 15%.
The committee has also given the nod to handing over parking lots in Feroze Gandhi Market and Sarabha Nagar I block to private contractors. This had been pending since March due to the lockdown. The committee has approved councillors’ request to increase the area of multi-storey and Bhadhaur House parking lots.
F&CC members have decided to take up the project of canal-based water supply in the MC general house. During Tuesday’s meeting, it was proposed that the F&CC should approve the proposal on behalf of the house.
Mayor Balkar Sandhu said, “This year, no one will allow the use of swimming pool due to risk of coronavirus infection. So there is no need to give the contract of its annual maintenance. The contractor for annual maintenance is usually hired in February-March and at that time, no one was aware of coronavirus.”
He said they have also decided to hold tenders for KG swimming pool renovation because the MC is short of funds. He said they will take it up later.
“The contract for Rakh Bagh has been extended but the contractor firm has been asked to reduce swing rates up to 15%. Officials wanted it to be reduced to 10%,” he added.
Senior deputy mayor Shyam Sunder Malhotra said, “We kept at least 15 proposals pending. On Saturday, a third meeting will be held for discussion of the supplementary agenda which could not be taken up on Tuesday due to paucity of time.”
He said they got rates of swings checked from other such parks and Hero group proposed the lowest rates. Therefore, he said they allowed them to maintain the park for two more years but with swings rates reduced to 15%.
Mayor marks inquiry
Officials proposed to debar the contractor who had taken the contract for construction of toilet blocks and parking area for shop-cum-offices opposite Keys Hotel in SBS Nagar in 2015. No work has been done at the site so far. Mayor Balkar Sandhu marked a departmental inquiry because the contractor was paid around Rs 59 lakh despite the fact that he did not even start work at site. He claimed that action should be taken against the officer who cleared payment when work was not done. The matter came to light during a third party survey conducted by a private firm.