New Delhi:
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) is mired in fresh controversy over the ambitious plan of building spanking new toilets ahead of the Commonwealth Games.
Everything was smooth sailing till now, right from floating of tenders to negotiating with prospective constructors. The MCD was treading really fast, but perhaps not cautiously. And that is when the Opposition Congress Party in the MCD intervened and alleged that the civic body floated the tender without complying with rules and didn't even bother to discuss such a big plan in the standing committee.
"It could be the biggest scam. Every MCD project above Rs 5,000 is executed only after the approval from standing committee and MCD House. But for this mega project, in which crores are involved, the MCD
babus didn't care to place the matter before the committee," alleged Jai Kishen Sharma, Leader of Opposition, MCD.
"The role of the civic body officials should be investigated and strict action should be taken against them," added Sharma, who demanded a CBI inquiry.
On May 2, the civic body had floated tenders for the construction of 216 toilets in posh markets, involving two lakh square feet of land in different parts of the city.
These toilets are to be constructed before Commonwealth Games and the MCD officials say MNCs will be roped in for the project. Earlier, companies like McDonald's and Wimpy's were rumoured to be part of the project.
As per the plan, MNCs will be given the land on lease for a period of thirty years. "They will have to pay an amount of Rs 10 crore (onetime payment) and an annual fee of Rs 20 lakh. They will construct the toilets and bathrooms and will also run them," said an official.
"To make the project successful, 70 per cent of the ground floor space in each toilet will be used as loo and 30 per cent will be for commercial use for the MNC operator. On the first floor, they will be constructing offices and shops and would lease them out.
Apart from that, the MNCs will get advertisement rights for it," explained a senior official.
The MCD official claims that due to the Standing Committee elections, the matter could not be placed before the committee. "The department had taken permission from former standing committee chairman, Ram Kishen Singhal.
"The toilets have to be constructed before CWG and we were running short of time," said a senior official associated with the project.
However, the Opposition Congress Party is not ready to buy the argument.
"As per current estimates, 100 square yards of land in Greater Kailash or South Extension market costs around Rs 10 crore. Then how can MCD give land worth crores of rupees without taking permission from the standing committee? Everything is not as hunky dory as they are claiming," alleged Sharma.
Newly appointed standing committee chairman, Yogendra Chandolia said, "I do not see anything fishy in the deal. All the records pertaining to this will be placed before the committee. I have just taken over the charge. I believe the concerned department would have taken the permission of competent authority before arriving at a decision."