At a review meeting on September 10, 2014 with officials of the engineering wing, Majid had asked the officials to black-list those contractors, who are involved in brazen violation of rules, had defaulted with regard to deadlines. But About 100 contractors, identified as black sheep before the term of the GHMC general body, are now back as GHMC special officer Somesh Kumar has chosen to set aside former mayor Hussain’s directive to black-list them.
The former mayor then wondered how officials could award more than five works to individual firms, despite a policy decision taken against it by the corporation. Asking officials to prepare a detailed report on the status of works being executed by each agency, Hussain had directed the officials to cancel work allotment orders of those firms which had then not begun works.
Call it typical state of affairs in the State’s biggest civic body or an outcome of the change of governance in the corporation due to the expiry of the term of the first general body of GHMC, officials have not only comfortably forgotten these orders, but have gone a step ahead in the allotment of fresh works.
According to sources, the very same black-listed contractors and awarded with excess works of road maintenance, including the recent de-silting works being taken up at a cost of Rs 28.49 crore. When contacted, GHMC chief engineer Suresh Kumar refused to give details relating to the contractors.
The decision was taken due to scarcity of eligible contractors in the corporation. If we ignore these contractors, then we will not be able to complete works on time,” said a Superintendent Engineer (SE) of the GHMC. The corporation has close to 2,000 registered contractors to take up works. Meanwhile, GHMC Contractors Association president A Damodar Reddy said that the black-listing of the contractors would never be a reality for obvious reasons.