Expert panel will verify Smart City projects: Mayor

Hubballi: A technical experts committee has been formed by the HDMC to verify the quality of development work and projects taken up under Smart City projects.
The Hubballi-Dharwad Smart City Ltd (HDSCL) has sent a proposal saying that it is ready to hand over around 25 Smart City projects to HDMC for maintenance. The HDSCL has said that it had taken up 55 projects worth Rs 823,52 crore and of them 25, including Tolankere, Janata Bazar and others projects, were complete and would be handed over to the HDMC for maintenance.
However, mayor Iresh Anchatageri, members and officials of HDMC have decided to reverify the quality of the projects which will be handed over by conducting a third-party inspection. The technical expert committee headed by Manojkumar Chitawadagi, head of the civil department, KLE Technical University in Hubbali, will verify the quality of work, conduct a study of each project and submit its report to the HDMC.
Anchatageri told TOI: “We have asked HDSCL officials to give details of estimation, quality, tender process and agreement entered between the contractors and the agency and other details on the Smart City projects during the last general body meetings on July 7, August 21, and November 12 and 29 in 2022, but the officials did not furnish any details sought by members giving scope for suspicion of its quality.”
He added that the public have raised complaints on the quality of footpaths, roads and some development work taken up under the Smart City projects. “Some organisations have filed a case with the Lokayukta alleging misappropriation of funds and low-quality work. Financial mismanagement came to light in an annual audit of th projects. So, taking all these factors into consideration, we have finally formed the technical committee,” he said.
Based on the committee’s report, the HDMC will take the responsibility of maintenance of projects, the mayor said. The committee is expected to complete its study and submit its report as early as possible. “We will follow the suggestions given by the committee and the HDMC will not take projects which are not complete as per the standard set by the government,” he said.