CHENNAI: Contractors quoting up to 38% below the estimated cost of civic works drew criticism at the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) council meeting on Friday, with councillors questioning whether the savings are coming at the cost of quality.
Tondiarpet zonal chairman Nethaji U Ganesan said contracts for drain desilting and road patchwork had been awarded at nearly 35% and 37% below the estimates, respectively. He told TNIE that drains expected to yield 10 bags of silt were yielding only eight, and alleged that poor-quality cement was being used.
Mayor R Priya said the problem extended across zones with bids coming in at 25% to 38% below estimates. She urged commissioner GS Sameeran to introduce a lower limit for bids based on the nature of the work, to which Sameeran responded that these were open tenders.
In response to councillors’ questions on why works had not begun despite work orders being issued, or were being cancelled, Sameeran said the corporation owed contractors nearly Rs 2,300 crore. Capital works worth nearly Rs 1,970 crore beyond the budget had been taken up the previous year, under the DMK government, he said.
The state government had approved Rs 300 crore in loans and Rs 900 crore as ways and means advance is under consideration. However, this would still be insufficient to clear contractors’ dues, with GCC facing daily difficulties to ensure wage settlements, he said, adding that the cancelled works would be reintroduced in phases once the financial situation improves.
‘Give direct salary payments to data entry operators’
Councillors sought an end to outsourcing salary payments for nearly 180 temporary GCC data entry operators, saying their take-home pay had fallen since the arrangement began in July.
Education standing committee chairman S Viswanathan said operators who earlier received Rs 26,000 a month were now getting Rs 20,768 after PF and other deductions, and urged the GCC to resume paying workers directly. Perungudi ward committee chairman SV Ravichandran said around 20 operators received only Rs 12,000 to Rs 13,000.
An operator told TNIE that salaries were often delayed until mid-month. Sameeran assured the council that the minimum labour wage of Rs 868 a day would be ensured. The operators were engaged through the government-owned firms.