Civic body plans walls to protect open spaces

With over Rs 50 crore left of the Rs 130-crore budget for gardens and open spaces,the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation plans to build fence or compound walls around open spaces to protect them.

With over Rs 50 crore left of the Rs 130-crore budget for gardens and open spaces,the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) plans to build fence or compound walls around open spaces to protect them. Following criticism from civic standing committee members about the ill maintenance of gardens,the civic body has decided to fine erring contractors.

The BMC has ordered an inspection of all open spaces and said it would fine negligent contractors.

Additional Municipal Commissioner Aseem Gupta said to prevent additional funds worth Rs 50 crore from lapsing,the BMC has to allocate them before March 3,2012. However,with elections to be held in February,the civic body has little time to spend,before the code of conduct comes into effect. We will spend this money on securing open spaces by building compound walls and fencing around it, he said.

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Shiv Sena corporator Mangesh Satamkar said contractors are not maintaining the gardens. The gardens once developed are not maintained. Why is BMC not fining contractors who are not maintaining the gardens? he asked.

While the civic body had appointed garden works contractors (GWCs) in 2008 for a period of two years,they would have to maintain the garden for three years. Although their term expired in March 2010,they were given a years extension,which again expired in March this year. Since then,garden works fall under the Civil Works Committee.

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