Probe panel launched to examine Rs 25,000-cr worth BBMP works

Resisting pressure from certain quarters, the state government has honoured its promise to set up Special Investigation Teams (SITs) to probe irregularities in BBMP works over the last four years.

The decision is unprecedented since no previous government had ordered an inquiry into the BBMP works running up to more than Rs 25,000 crore.

The Urban Development Department's (UDD) order outlines the investigation's scope, covering departments like solid waste management, road infrastructure, town planning, optic fibre cable (OFC), lakes, Smart City, and stormwater drains. However, revenue and central projects are excluded.

The four SITs will be headed by IAS officers who will be assisted by a team of 16, mostly retired Public Works Department (PWD) engineers. The 20-member team has been given a month to complete the inquiry and submit the report.

DH broke the story

On July 19, DH reported that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had ordered an SIT probe into Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) works. The government went ‘slow’ on issuing the formal order since the file signed by the Chief Minister had reached the UDD only on August 4.

Since Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, who holds the Bengaluru Development portfolio, stuck to his demand on forming the committee, the UDD issued the orders on Saturday. The probe does not cover the 2018-19 financial year when HD Kumaraswamy was the Chief Minister.

Government order

The SIT has been given 16 guidelines such as finding irregularities in the tendering process, failure to obtain statutory compliances from agencies like the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) and the Karnataka Tank Conservation Development Authority (KTCDA), and assessing quality of work.

The panel has also been asked to probe into the necessity of a work and thoroughly check if works are not part of the original action plan. The government has also allowed the panel to engage a third party to assist its investigation.

Contractors raise doubts 

KT Manjunath, president, BBMP Contractors' Association, wondered at a press conference on Monday the point in forming the SIT if the government does not trust its own officers and engineers.

“All the works are vetted at different layers from junior engineers to top IAS officers,” Manjunath said. “The works are taken up only after the approvals and payments are cleared once the works are evaluated.”

Manjunath also asked the government to hold back salaries of officers and engineers till such time payments are delayed for the contractors.

DKS reacts

DK Shivakumar, the Bengaluru Development Minister, said the probe is based on allegations of “commissions” raised by the Karnataka State Contractors' Association president D Kempanna.

“Nobody knows who approved the work, but tenders were floated and (work) orders issued in quick succession,” Shivakumar said. “In just 15 to 20 days, bills were raised. In other places — at my village, for example — work goes on for two to three years.”

To the question if the government should “blindly” clear the bills given the suspicions, Shivakumar said: “We have deployed officers to look into this.”

He also assured that he has no intensions to hold back bills if the works are genuine.