Times of India: Nagpur: Monday, 15 September 2014.
When it comes to private contractors, the Nagpur
Municipal Corporation (NMC) leaves no stone unturned to favour the firms,
sidelining norms and even loss of revenue. The projects to construct shopping
malls at Jaripatka and Dhanaganj on build, operate and transfer (BoT) basis
were to be completed in 2013.
However, the work for Jaripatka mall started a few days
ago while there are no signs of Dhanaganj mall work starting soon.
According to documents obtained under Right to
Information (RTI) Act, Vishvaraj Infrastructure Limited (VIL) was issued work
order for Dhanaganj mall and Multiurban Infra Service Private Limited for
Jaripatka mall on March 28, 2011 and November 24, 2011, respectively. The two firms were supposed to complete the projects in two
years.
The NMC had issued letter of acceptance to VIL on
April 5, 2011, and to Multiurban Infra on December 15, 2011, and gave 15 days for depositing the premium of Rs6 crore and Rs3 crore respectively, asking them to execute the agreement. But VIL paid
only Rs1 crore and Multiurban Infra Rs25 lakh on September 26, 2011, and March 5, 2012, respectively.
In a brazen violation, the NMC accepted the
remaining premium from the two companies at the end of 2013 and executed agreement on
May 8 this year.
A senior NMC official from Pench Project Cell told
TOI that Jaripatka mall work has started and it is likely to be complete in two
years. "NMC has recovered the remaining premium from the two companies
with interest. Revised building plan of the project was sanctioned in August.
There would be no further delay," he said.
The official said work for Dhanaganj mall will
also begin in the coming days. "VIL is preparing the revised building
plan. Works can start soon after it is sanctioned," he said.
Jaripatka mall will come up in North Nagpur while
Dhanaganj mall in East Nagpur. The two areas lack swanky malls and shopping
facilities. The two projects are very important for the NMC and the city but
became victim of civic body's negligence and monopoly of private companies. The
cash-strapped NMC is supposed to get revenue of Rs162 crore from Dhanaganj mall
and Rs37.20 crore from Jaripatka mall in instalments. Also, it will also get rent of
Rs45 per sq mt per annum with increase of 20% after every five years.
In fact, the two malls along with three others
were to be completed in 2009.
The NMC had given work order for all the five malls on
July 26, 2007, to a joint venture of Unity Infra Projects Private Limited and BSEL
Infrastructure Realty Limited with a target to complete them within two years.
Work could start only at Dhanaganj and Jaripatka malls but it came to a halt in
2008. Unity Infra and BSEL Infrastructure were replaced by VIL and Multiurban
Infra but the situation didn't change.