BMC’s pothole tender: Opposition leader alleges cartelisation

MUMBAI: After the BMC’s Rs 34-crore tender for fixing potholes, using reactive asphalt technology, attracted only three bidders, who quoted an average of 24% above the official estimate, the opposition has alleged cartelisation.
Former leader of opposition in the BMC, Ravi Raja, said it is a clear case of cartelisation. BMC officials had said that the bids were above the estimates since the reactive asphalt is a patented technology. “How can they claim that the bids are high because it (technology) is patented? Everything has been stage-managed, as the officials have agreed to the price quoted,” said Raja. The BMC will be using reactive asphalt and rapid hardening concrete technologies, besides, the traditional mastic asphalt method to repair potholes.
Of the Rs 125-crore allocation for the two new technologies, the reactive asphalt and rapid hardening concrete, to fill potholes, as much as Rs 34 crore will be spent on reactive asphalt technology. In reactive asphalt technology, potholes can be fixed during a wet spell as well, while in rapid hardening concrete technology, the road can be opened up for traffic in six hours after the potholes are filled. tnn