Mumbai: Its finances in the red, the state govt has tightened purse strings for public works like roads, bridges and other infrastructure projects, stating it is necessary to limit the number of newly sanctioned works.
The state govt has issued fresh guidelines for sanctioning of public works and mentioned that an amount exceeding the budget provision for the public works department (PWD) had already been sanctioned for projects.
Now, it is impossible for the department to pay for these works from the allocation received in the budget. If sanctioned works are not funded in time, the cost of the works increases drastically, and the quality of the works is adversely affected to a great extent.
“It is necessary to limit the number of newly sanctioned works by devising a strict policy regarding newly sanctioned works. Only state highways and major district roads, which are very important, see heavy traffic, and require urgent improvement should be proposed. A detailed project report (DPR) must be made after technical verification, and only then must works be proposed in accordance with the requirements of the project, priority, availability of funds, availability of land, and no-objection certificate of the forest department. Adequate care should be taken to ensure that there is no delay in the work. Strict care should be taken that works are not proposed in different parts or pieces of continuous length of the same road,” the guidelines stated.
“A certificate stating that works proposed under any other scheme are not included under this scheme under any circumstances and the proposed work is not proposed in any other scheme or included in the defect liability period (DLP) should be obtained. With a view to including maximum works in the budget, proposals are deliberately underestimated and then submitted for revised administrative approval. Instead of proposing a continuous length of a single road, dividing it into various parts or pieces leads to wastage of funds and time in budgeting these works separately, granting administrative approval, and conducting a tendering process. For example, if the works on the same road are budgeted in different parts of consecutive length despite having the same sub-division and constituency, joint tenders should be made instead of separate tenders for such works. If land acquisition or forest land acquisition is required for road works, then first land acquisition should be done without taking up road construction works,” the guidelines stated.