MUMBAI: Notwithstanding his good intentions to give Mumbai city good roads, Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan finds himself in a spot as a petition before the Bombay High Court seeking to scrap the road audit work has been converted into a public interest litigation.
Incidentally, ever since Chavan took over as the Chief Minister he has gone the extra mile for maintaining a stain-free tenure even at the risk of being labelled as ‘unproductive’ and this would be the first time that a finger is being pointed
at him.
It was on the recommendation of Chavan in September last year that the Mumbai civic administration decided to appoint SGS India for auditing the `900-crore roadworks. In doing so, the civic administration has awarded the audit work directly to the SGS India without calling
for tenders, contends the petition.
“The corporation had entered into an agreement with SGS India for carrying out audit works of road repairs at an estimated cost of `6.78 crore. SGS India has been chosen by subverting civic laws governing expenses to be incurred by the administration and awarding of contracts,” said Niyaz Ahmed Vanu, leader of the Nationalist Congress Party in the civic body.