BrihanMumbai municipal corporation is floating nearly 900 tenders worth of Rs 150 crore in the next 10 days, but that is only for ward-level civic works, the BMC clarified on Monday, reacting to reports in a section of media.   

“Since there are 25 wards in BMC, it involves merely an expenditure of only ₹6 crore per ward and an average of ₹16 lakh per tender and there are approximately 36 tenders per ward, each with a population of nearly 5 to 7 lakh,” municipal commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal said in a statement.  

Most of these small tenders pertains to maintenance of civic amenities like storm water drainage, sewerage network, footpaths, repairs of pedestrian lanes, slum area toilets repairs etc. which concerns the citizens of Mumbai living in these areas, he added.

Chahal also clarified that it is normal expenditure in a financial year in the month of March when the financial year is near ending and sizeable budget expenditure takes place not only in BMC but all major departments under the Maharashtra government every year.  

Unless these civic issues are addressed through this tendering process, it can have direct adverse impact on the health and lives of our citizens living in high density areas including slums.

“It is extremely important to clarify any misunderstanding which may arise in the minds of our citizens and stakeholders by highlighting this figure of 900 tenders,” he added.