123Pune.com

PUNE: The Pune civic administration is likely to appoint an agency for third-party checking and monitoring of projects to ensure quality and
timely completion.

Municipal commissioner Pravinsinh Pardeshi told TOI on Wednesday that the PMC plans to appoint College of Engineering, Pune (COEP) for the task. The civic body will finalise the COEP's appointment after corporators clear the proposal.

Pardeshi said the civic administration wants to speed up implementation of development works, like water and roads projects. The commissioner plans to include some major works in the next financial budget and complete them in time, unlike ongoing projects.

COEP director A D Sahasrabudhe said the civic body has not yet discussed the plan with the engineering college. "We will ensure that the quality of works is maintained and that work assigned to us is done judiciously," he said. He added that the workforce needed would be figured out only after the scope of the work is decided.

Citizens groups have been repeatedly demanding appointment of third-party consultants for monitoring PMC works, especially for the infrastructure projects undertaken under the JNNURM for the Commonwealth Youth Games.

"There is no quality check on any work done by contractors, who are usually not qualified for the task. Most projects are assigned to contractors who are either relatives of politicians or have formed a ring to corner civil works," alleged civic activist Vijay Kumbhar, president of Surajya Sangharsh Samiti.

Kumbhar added that civic engineers should also shoulder quality-control responsibilities. "If the PMC gets work done by contractors and a third party monitors them, what work are its engineers left with?" Kumbhar asked.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Pune/Third_party_may_check_PMC_works/...