E-tendering scam: Civic union defends suspended engineers

Within a few days of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) suspending nine engineers for allegedly manipulating the e-tendering process for maintenance works in wards, the representative body of civic engineers has come out in defence of the staffers.

A joint action group of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Engineers’ Union and the Municipal Engineers’ Association has registered its grievances with the authorities. The group is examining the e-tendering system to check for loopholes that could help in the defence of the suspended officials.

“We feel the system is not foolproof. The municipal commissioner said recently that the system will be made foolproof by October. Our engineers are not trained to use the software. So, we will have to point out the loopholes, if any, in the system to defend our members. We are studying that now,” said Sainath Rajadhyaksha of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Engineers’ Union.

The e-tendering system was introduced in 2012, replacing the civic works contracts (CWC) system, with the aim of curbing corruption in petty works at the ward level. The petty works are paid for from corporators' funds.

But, some months ago, corporators cited the observation by the test auditor and vigilance officer that some civic engineers were manipulating the system to favour certain contractors and they demanded that the civic body probe the matter.

As the matter dragged on, corporators even targeted the chief chief Sitaram Kunte and additional municipal commissioner Rajiv Jalota. Corporators demanded action against Jalota, saying he influenced Kunte to implement the e-tendering system.

Sources in the BMC though explained that the charges were not substantiated. “Those corporators who have been unhappy with Jalota over certain proposals chose to target him on the e-tendering matter with which he is not concerned,” a source said.

“The system is controlled by the IT department that is headed by another additional municipal commissioner. Jalota was temporarily deputing for the civic chief when he was away and the corporators took the opportunity to drag his name into the controversy.”

In a statement issued on Friday, Jalota said, “E-tendering is purely under the IT department which is with another additional municipal commissioner. Similarly, the works to be executed through e-tendering or the CWC system at the ward level, are under the P&D department which is also under another additional municipal commissioner.”

As reported in dna on September 23, the BMC has also blacklisted 40 companies in connection with the manipulation of the e-tendering system.