SCDCL meeting gives ex-post facto approval to works

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

The Smart City Development Corporation Limited (SCDCL) chief executive officer Dr Abhijeet Chaudhari today informed that the SCDCL mentor Ved Singhal has granted permission to utilise the pre-mature withdrawal amount of Rs 100 crore (which was kept as the fixed deposit in the bank) for the development of roads in the city. The decision to grant ex-post facto approval was taken in today’s meeting after withdrawing the FD, he said.

It may be noted that the board meeting of SCDCL directors (BoDs) was held after one year. Singhal graced the meeting online.

Chaudhari explained that the SCDCL kept Rs 200 crore as a fixed deposit in the bank to operate and maintain the Smart City Bus service without any hurdles and gaps till 2029. Presently, the daily collection earned through the bus service is deposited in the FD account. Hence the BoD meeting granted approval to the decision of keeping a reserved fund to maintain the bus service till 2029 and utilise the remaining fund for the development of roads. The mentor is expected to visit the city soon.

The meeting also gave approval to the inclusion of the district collector Astik Kumar Pandey and the municipal corporation administrator Abhijeet Chaudhari as the directors on the SCDCL board. Pandey also attended the meeting online.

SCDCL director Bhaskar Munde, Ulhas Gaoli, CEO and additional CEO Arun Shinde were also present in the online meeting.

Important decisions in meeting

The SCDCL has released the work order to Maha-Metro (Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited) to connect Waluj with Shendra MIDC through a single overbridge. The ex-post facto sanction was also given to the proposals stating that the cost of preparing the DPR for the metro will be borne by the SCDCL; the appointment of a chief accounts officer and other works. It may be noted that the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation (CSMC) has constructed roads valuing Rs 330 crore in different parts of the city in the last five to six years.

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It may be noted that the contractor to whom the road works valuing Rs 318 crore was allotted had stopped the works in the middle. He is insisting SCDCL revise the cost of the old tender and sanction him the difference amount due to the hike in prices. Now, the SCDCL has decided to withdraw the FD money (Rs 100 crore) to develop 44 important roads in the city. Besides, the development of 22 roads by the municipal corporation is underway from its funds.

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The proposal was made to develop roads of valuing Rs 568 crore in the city, out of which, the works of Rs 330 crore have been completed. The FD amount (Rs 100 crore) will be utilised to restart the halted works by the contractor. The CSMC do not have money to get complete the road works of valuing Rs 138 crore. The expectation is to complete the construction of 300-325 km long roads through the total funds in the city.