BBMP office.
Credit: DH Photo
The Urban Development Department (UDD) is suspiciously delaying the process of deputing 72 engineers to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), even though they were recruited almost 10 days ago.
On behalf of the BBMP, the Public Works Department (PWD) recruited them to fill the vacancy created by the engineers who were on temporary basis last year.
These junior engineers are mainly deputed in the wards to attend to residents' complaints on a variety of issues and oversee infrastructure works in the neighbourhoods. It is learned that the civic body may have to pay the salaries to the PWD-recruited engineers even though they are yet to start the work.
These new recruits will replace 72 engineers who were recruited by the Karnataka State Electronics Development Corporation (KEONICS) last year. As the UDD delayed the process of deputation, the civic body extended the services of these engineers by a month.
Lakshmisagar NK, undersecretary of the UDD, did not respond to calls.
Other than the 72 engineers, the short-staffed BBMP will get 150 civil engineers who will be hired through the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) after a long time. This is likely to reduce the burden on the existing staff as the number of BBMP wards has been increased to 225 from the present 198.