BMC initiates recovery of excess payment in Kalina’s ‘Golden Gate Scam,’ calling the error an ‘unintentional mistake’ | File Photo
Mumbai: After The Free Press Journal highlighted the ‘Golden Gate Scam’ in Kalina Municipal Chowky, BMC has initiated process to recover Rs 2.41 lakhs from the contractor for excess payments against inflated bills. However, the residents expressed resentment as the BMC only gave a warning to a junior engineer and did not take any concrete steps.
The Free Press Journal had reported in November about the discrepancies in the reconstruction work of a BMC Chowky as the civic body paid Rs 1.88 lakh to install a sliding gate. The entire reconstruction work amounted to a total of Rs 7.98 lakh. Voice of Kalina (VOK), an advance locality management, had mocked the BMC for spending a whopping amount on a simple entry gate and had dubbing it as a ‘Golden Gate Scam’.
VOK had written to the ward officer in February but as the official failed to act, the grievance was taken up with the BMC commissioner in November. The residents had alleged that assistant engineer Deepak Jadhav is not providing any information to the residents in this matter. However, Jadhav had told the newspaper on December 11, “that the department is planning action in the matter and will recover the extra amount paid to the vendor.”
On Friday, the assistant engineer of the H/East ward announced that the ward office has been directed to recover Rs 2.41 lakh, which were paid in excess to the contractor. The assistant engineer said that the work was re-examined and subsequently the accounts officer was informed to recover the amount. The official also said that a strong warning has been issued to the junior engineer “for his unintentional mistake”.
However, the residents of Kalina who had been pursuing this issue since ten months, expressed displeasure over BMC’s action. The citizens have alleged that the junior engineer has been made a scapegoat while the senior officials are being let go scot-free. They have demanded that the BMC should get a criminal offence registered against all the involved officials and the contractor.
Clarence Pinto, a member of VOK, said, “This is a criminal offence and they are passing it off as an unintentional mistake. Payments are made after being passed by multiple levels of check including the senior engineers. The accountability has to be on all those levels and not only the junior-most level. At least they should take legal action against the contractor for submitting bogus bills.”
