Mysore/Mysuru: A section of Corporators have appealed to the Mysuru Deputy Commissioner to stop the action plan to repair roads under the Rs. 25 crore special grants released by the Government. Reason: They have claimed that the works have not been allocated properly and the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) has acted in a partial manner favourable only to certain localities.
This move has triggered a war of words between the Corporators and Mayor Sunanda Palanetra, who has said that if the action plan is prevented, there is a danger of the Rs. 25 crore going back to the Government treasury.
Almost all the roads in Mysuru city have been damaged due to incessant rains after October last year and only now the rains have stopped.
As such, the Mayor had appealed to the State Government for a grant of Rs. 50 crore. Responding positively, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai agreed to release Rs. 25 crore in the first phase and accordingly, the MCC was asked to prepare an action plan.
Getting wind of the windfall of Rs. 25 crore, a section of Corporators have written to the Deputy Commissioner and have alleged that only the roads under the jurisdiction of certain influential elected representatives are being repaired while a lot of other roads have been neglected. They have questioned preferential treatment meted out to only a few areas.
They have argued that the Rs. 25 crore special grants must be used across the 65 Wards. The signatories of the letter have demanded the DC to cancel the present action plan that is limited to only a few roads and prepare a new action plan that will comprise roads of all the 65 Wards.
The Corporators have alleged that at a time when all the roads of Mysuru are damaged due to rains and at a time when there is an urgent need to provide civic amenities like improving drainages, parks and circles, only a section of areas are getting special treatment while all the other roads and localities are being sidelined.
The action plan for Rs. 22.27 crore has been prepared and approval has been secured for the same. The works include repairs of Krishnaraja Boulevard to JLB Road, Narayana Shastry Road, Ramanuja Road till M.G. Road, Race Course Road, Vivekananda Circle Road, main roads of Aishwarya Nagar, Kuvempunagar Adichunchanagiri Road, Srirampura Road to Manandavadi Road, New Kantharaj Urs Road, Chitrabhanu Road, Vishwamanava Double Road, Saraswathipuram Fire Brigade Road and Gayatripuram Main Road.
So the corrupt MCC has not shared its loot with the corrupt politicians leaving the public in the limbo
In my opinion, give funds to areas of those corporators who can give it in writing that they will not allow the newly laid roads to be dug up for at least 2 years.
The corporators themselves are not fair in how they allocate the repair work within their jurisdiction… for example – https://starofmysore.com/bad-roads-and-plight-of-citizens/amp/ this particular road in Bannimantap is the only one that was not laid after UGD digging and now everyday we have accidents harming children and elderly alike… no amount of pleas from residents or press coverage has made a difference… the corporator has turned complete blind eye
Digging up of newly laid roads is one of the oldest SCAMS in India. This is one of the “cash cows” for politicians as they get huge “kickbacks” from the contractors to relay the roads. Further, politicians do this so that roads can be laid every year and they can earn kickbacks in perpetuity. If asked by the people or the press, they will blame this on “lack of coordination” between govt departments, as if this can justify the wastage of public money or the gross mismanagement. As long as people dont demand accountability from our politicians, especially during elections, these and other scams will continue.
Can the Corporation kindly issue a press release to clarify with specifics :
1. What the various specifications laid down in the tender for these works?
2. Are they compliant with the various civil, quality etc standards laid down by central and regional agencies relating to infrastructure viz quality, material mix, process, post the job completion quality check methods, audits and penalty clauses etc?
3. Have they taken care that all other underground works are first completed before this so that there is no road digging again for atleast 3-4 years?
4. What is the guarantee period given by the agency that executes the work?
5. What is to be done, who all is to be held responsbible in case that guarantee fails?
Perhaps this would give the citizens a certain peace of mind, whose money and contributions thruough taxes is being used for this work.