Nagpur: At a time Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) is facing severe financial crisis, the civic administration is set to spend Rs3.50 crore to hire 89 private taxis for elected representatives and officials. The standing committee approved NMC general administration department’s proposal to this effect on Tuesday.
Standing committee chairman Vijay Zalke told TOI the work tenure of private taxis being provided by existing operator will expire this month. “But due to Covid-19 the GAD could not initiate a fresh tender process, so it submitted a proposal for extension of one year,” he explained.
Zalke said the extension has been given on the condition of not revising the charges. “The firm will have to provide taxis at old rates approved by the committee,” he said.
Among those who will get the four-wheelers include zonal chairpersons, assistant municipal commissioners and heads of various departments.
Sources, however, pointed out that the GAD has allotted private taxis to various department heads and offices, which actually do not require four-wheelers. Citing examples, sources said NMC is providing private taxis to assistant commissioners of all zones, executive engineers of 10 zones, estate officers and also to water works delegates.
Senior corporator Abha Pande recently objected to this wastage of taxpayers’ money. “Citing crisis of funds, on one hand the BJP-ruled NMC could not carry out development works and on the other there is no check on wasteful expenditure,” she said.
The standing committee also approved a proposal of public health engineering department for beautification work of Sonegaon lake. The previous state government led by Devendra Fadnavis had sanctioned funds for the project. NMC had received Rs3 crore, which it used to desilt the lake.
Now, it has received second instalment of Rs17.32 crore. The public health engineering department has invited bids for the beautification work and submitted a proposal to the standing committee to finalize the work order to M/s SS Patil and Company, which has bid for the work at 16.30% below the tender amount. The panel gave its nod, said Zalke, adding this fund will be utilized for beautification of the lake and its surrounding area.
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