The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has paid a whooping amount of Rs. 180 crores to private firms appointed for consultancy in its sewerage projects. The ongoing inquiry in to BMC‘s Sewerage projects by RTI Activist Anil Galgali shows that the amount spent on consultancy may be much more. In reply to Galgali’s RTI, Deputy Chief Engineer of BMC sewerage department has only shared the amount given to four consultancy firms. It revealed that an amount of Rs 180 crores was sanctioned to be paid to M/s Mot MacDonald Pvt. Ltd. M/s R.V. Anderson, M/s Mot MacDonald Ltd. & Associates and M/s P.H.E. Consultants. These Consultancy were appointed under 2nd phase of BMC Sewerage project for seven different sewerage processing Zones at Colaba, Worli, Bandra, Versova, Malad, Bhandup and Ghatkopar.
The period of consultancy has lapsed in April 2015 and out of 180 crores, Rs 141.77 has already been paid to them. Payment of Rs 38.23 is due to be paid to them. BMC has clarified that no fine has been imposed on these consultancy firms. Sewerage department has given a consolidated record of these four consultants, not sharing details of payments and dues pending to each of these individual private firms.
Apart from these four, BMC has appointed a few other firms for consultancy on its sewerage projects. They are- M/s Tata Consultancy for Water-Sewerage tunnel, M/s Wepcross for Brahmanwadi & Kadheshwari pumping stations and M/s Fishman-Prabhu for Vallabh Nagar pumping station projects.
Anil Galgali says, “With such an experienced talent pool of officers available with the BMC, there is no need to appoint outside private consultants. Instead of paying lumpsum amount to private parties, BMC could appoint other Top Quality experienced consultants of its own.”
