Councillors rap VMC over model roads

VADODARA, Jan 6: Councillors cutting across party lines criticised the implementation of the Vadodara Municipal Corporation's VMC works...

VADODARA, Jan 6: Councillors cutting across party lines criticised the implementation of the Vadodara Municipal Corporation8217;s VMC works for construction of model roads in the city at the civic body8217;s General Board meeting on Wednesday.

Reiterating his charges of corruption in the purchase of materials used for the model roads, Congress councillor Chinnam Gandhi alleged that despite passing the tender for a specified stone type, another variety was being used in the works. Backing Gandhi, Lok Shahi leader Chandrakant Srivastava asserted that any change in such policy matters could not made unless the matter was presented before the General Board.

Congress councillor Chirag Zaveri questioned why no action had been initiated into the alleged corruption despite four representations at successive General Board meetings. Congress leader Satayajit Gaekwad, meanwhile, pointed out that the municipal commissioner had failed to blacklist the contractor found supplying materials not befitting the specifications despite having assured the same.

Explaining the VMC8217;s 8220;course of action8221;, Mayor Bharati Vyas said the corporation had sent samples of the materials being used for testing at the Gujarat Engineering and Research Institute. 8220;We have received the report,8221; she added, only to be interrupted by Gandhi who demanded 8220;action and not a report8221;. Surprisingly, the ruling party was in for criticism from its own quarters with several Bharatiya Janata Party BJP councillors expressing dissatisfaction with the civic body8217;s progress on the model roads.

According to former deputy mayor Rammanohar Tiwari, 8220;The civic body is merely widening the roads and carpeting them instead of actually undertaking the needful works8221;. He questioned why the civic body had not undertaken any works at the Makarand Desai Marg, identified among the first seven out of 14 model roads to be constructed in the city.

Added BJP councillor Rajendra Trivedi, 8220;We have to accept that whatever we had talked about and planned for the model roads has not been shaped into reality8221;. Another BJP councillor Vidya Rajput pointed out that despite the local corporators disapproving the VMC8217;s decision to construct a model road in Makarpura, the work was still on. Meanwhile, Nirmala Gandhi of the BJP put forth that the FSI norms put into action in Ahmedabad and Rajkot be enforced in Vadodara as well to ease the practical hitches in the way of construction of the roads.

Inaugurated: Mayor Bharati Vyas on Tuesday evening inaugurated the highmast light at the Narhari Circle, Fatehgunj. Earlier in the evening, Executive Director, Gujarat Refinery, P S Rao inaugurated the highmast light installed at Sayaji Circle, Sayajigunj, by the Refinery.