Worried about pending BMC projects, Sena gets into act

With general and assembly elections around the corner, the ruling Shiv Sena is worried about the projects which are pending at various stages of approval and has lined up meetings with top civic officials starting Saturday.

Lines up meetings with top civic officials; Cong sets up panels to monitor projects

With general and assembly elections around the corner, the ruling Shiv Sena is worried about the projects which are pending at various stages of approval and has lined up meetings with top civic officials starting Saturday. Sena leaders, along with Municipal Commissioner Jairaj Phatak, will also begin meetings at the ward-levels so that delays in projects can be solved at the spot.

8220;Elections are around the corner. How are we going to face the voters and what will the MLAs tell them about incomplete projects. Various water works worth around Rs 1,900 crore, being taken up under the JNNURM scheme, are awaiting approval of the Central government. Why is it taking so much time?8221; asked standing committee chairman Ravindra Waikar at a meeting held on Saturday.

He directed all four additional municipal commissioners to conduct review of the projects undertaken by them. 8220;There are a number of provisions which were made in the budget, but work on only a few of them has actually begun,8221; he said.

Waikar said that the civic administration was delaying work on components of the BRIMSTOWAD project, rehabilitation of encroachers, modernisation of Byculla Zoo and upgradation of Octroi nakas. 8220;There is enough money with the civic body, so what is stopping the administration from implementing all these plans?8221; he asked.

The opposition Congress, on the other hand, has formed shadow committees which will keep a watch on all the special committees of the BMC. 8220;There are around three corporators in each committee who will monitor and take stock of all the projects. A monthly review report will be given to me,8221; said Congress leader Rajhans Singh.

8220;The Sena itself keeps shouting that projects worth crores are pending. It shows how inefficient the ruling party is and it does not have a strong hold on the civic administration to get the projects implemented,8221; Singh said.