Proposal for maintenance of closed BMC schools to again be presented before Standing Committee

On March 31, the proposal of cost variation, which includes increase in original contract from Rs 209.78 crore to Rs 368.89 crore from March 18, 2019 to September 17, 2021, was tabled for the Standing Committee’s nod. However, it was rejected after Congress and BJP corporators slammed the civic administration for alleged losses incurred as tenders to appoint new contractors were not invited and the expenditure amid the pandemic when schools were shut.

There are 338 municipal school buildings across the city. However, about 50 of these buildings were used as isolation and vaccination centers after the pandemic hit Mumbai.

However, the administration has now come up with clarification. The BMC has said that it had invited tenders to appoint new contractors but received poor response. Also, allegations of corruption led to delay, it added.

“There were only two responses for the tenders floated for school housekeeping and maintenance work. Later, Shiv Sena MLA Sunil Prabhu wrote to the municipal commissioner, alleging irregularities in tender conditions… following which, a committee was set up to probe the matter. This led to delay in the process of awarding new contracts,” read the BMC reply to the committee.

Clarifying on the expenditure amid the pandemic, the BMC said that from March 18, 2020 to March 17, 2021, it had approval to spend Rs 63.98 crore but only 43.25 crore was spent. The payment from March 18 to October 31 will be made from the remaining fund, it added.

“During the pandemic, after last December, staffers and teachers were asked to visit schools only at half their capacity… housekeeping staffers and other maintenance workers were required. Also, housekeeping staffers were paid on the basis of their attendance,” said an official.