Bengaluru: Following complaints that the infrastructure work executed by the Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Limited (KRIDL) is sub-standard and delayed, the BBMP has issued an order not to entrust any work to KRIDL until the earlier works are completed.
The BBMP commissioner M. Lakshminarayan has issued an order observing that a number of projects have been given to KRIDL under BBMP jurisdiction. Most of the work, by and large taken up under Mayor and Deputy Mayor grants, were entrusted to KRIDL, which enjoys exemption under the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement (KPPT) Act.
Since KRIDL is a government agency it has been exempted from the transparency Act. Only emergency works during floods, catastrophes or other urgent work should be given to KRIDL without going in for the tendering process. But some of the projects have been entrusted to KRIDL without any valid reason. This practice must end, in the interests of BBMP, he stated.
Bengaluru district in-charge minister Ramalinga Reddy has also pointed out that only emergency works should be given to KRIDL and completed in a time-bound manner. Although some of the works have been completed, many are still in progress. He too said that unless the ongoing projects were completed no more projects should be entrusted to KRIDL. Giving more will only burden KRIDL and delay the works, said Mr. Reddy.
Mr. Reddy has also sought a detailed report from the BBMP commissioner on the number of infrastructure works already executed and the ones which will be done by KRIDL shortly.
It may be recalled that earlier, due to the sub-standard quality of work and contractors extensively misusing the provisions of the work given to KRIDL, the BBMP council had decided to hand over work only in compliance with the transparency act and e-procurement. However, the corporators themselves took a ‘U’ turn and gave infrastructure projects to KRIDL to avoid the tendering process and to ensure their trusted contractors got the projects.
