Latest news with #MaharashtraJeevanPradhikaran
Time of India
01-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
State Orders Third-Party Audit Amid Alarming Quality Concerns in AMRUT 2.0 Projects
Nagpur: Amid rising complaints of shoddy execution and deteriorating public infrastructure, the Maharashtra govt on June 30 issued a Government Resolution (GR) directing Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran (MJP) to implement Third Party Technical Audits (TPTA) for all ongoing works under the Rs10,513 crore Amrut 2.0 mission. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The decision comes in the wake of mounting criticism over substandard work in key projects—particularly those being executed by the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC). These include the Rs381 crore water supply augmentation project and the Rs900 crore Pora River Pollution Abatement scheme, both under Amrut 2.0. The pollution abatement project has already drawn public ire. NMC Commissioner Abhijeet Chaudhari slapped a Rs1 crore cumulative fine on three contractors for botched restoration after sewer line work across southwest and south Nagpur. Another firm involved in the water supply augmentation project was also penalised for execution lapses. Dug-up roads in affected areas continue to torment motorists, with private agencies ignoring repeated warnings to complete proper restoration. Despite funds pouring in and clear directives from the civic administration, on-ground execution remained sloppy—sparking outrage among residents and raising doubts about project oversight. The Amrut 2.0 (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation) was rolled out in Maharashtra in July 2022 and spans from FY 2021–22 to 2025–26. Of the Rs10,513 crore outlay, Rs9,285 crore is earmarked for project implementation, with the rest reserved for reform incentives and administrative expenses. To plug the accountability gap, the state has now asked MJP, which functions as the Project Development and Management Consultant (PDMC), to prepare a Request for Proposal (RFP) within two weeks to empanel qualified technical auditors. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The process will be overseen by the State Level Technical Committee (SLTC), which has also been empowered to revise the audit's scope as needed. Audit expenses will be drawn from the Amrut administrative fund, subject to the Centre's approval. If denied, the state will bear the cost separately. A senior NMC official said MJP earlier engaged a third-party auditor, but the audit contract ended—triggering the current process to appoint a new agency. However, critics argue the govt has been slow to act, allowing poor-quality work to continue unchecked for months. As the mission enters its crucial final stretch, the govt's move to institutionalise independent technical scrutiny may be the only way to salvage public confidence and ensure taxpayer money doesn't go down the drain—literally.
Time of India
06-05-2025
- Time of India
Contractor held after official alleges threats & substandard work
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar : A contracting firm's distribution head was arrested on Tuesday after a senior official of Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran (MJP) accused him of obstructing govt work, issuing threats and attempting to frame her in false charges following disagreements over the quality of work on an urban water supply project . Tired of too many ads? go ad free now MJP's chief engineer Manisha Palande (50), posted at the MJP's regional division in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, filed a formal complaint in this regard with the Vedantnagar police on Monday. She alleged that contractor Vishal Yedke engaged in deliberate substandard work and resorted to intimidation after she intervened to stop faulty construction practices. Palande took charge as the chief engineer on Sept 6, 2024. She is overseeing the ambitious Jal Jeevan Mission and urban water supply schemes under MJP in the region. According to her complaint, the contracting firm was given the work to execute the city's water distribution network, including laying 2,000km of pipelines. Palande alleged that during departmental review meetings, she found serious quality lapses in the road restoration and paver block works carried out after laying the pipelines. Despite strict directions to adhere to hydraulic testing norms and proper standards, she claimed Yedke bypassed protocols to expedite restoration, leading to poor-quality work. In her complaint, Palande stated that Yedke verbally abused her, issued threats and even tried to intimidate her by saying that he would trap her in false Atrocities Act charges. The Vedantnagar police have registered a case against Yedke under sections 132 (criminal force to deter a public servant from duty), 126(2) (wrongful restraint), 221 (obstruction of duty), 224 (threat of injury), 237 (false declaration), 248 (false charge with intent to harm), 351(2) and 351(3) (criminal intimidation), and 352 (intentional insult with provocation) of BNS.
Time of India
22-04-2025
- Business
- Time of India
NMC plans Rs 450-crore water projects to meet demand during Kumbh Mela
Nashik: The Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) plans to undertake Rs 450-crore water projects to meet the additional 250 MLD demand during the 2026-2028 Simhastha Kumbh Mela, ensuring sufficient supply for the city during the mega gathering to be held in Nashik city between 2026 and 2028. The projects include increasing the capacity of the pumping station at the Mukane dam, constructing another new water treatment plant (WTP) at Vilholi and laying new water distribution pipelines from Vilholi WTP to Sadhugram and Nilgiri water filtration plant. NMC commissioner Manisha Khatri said they were planning to undertake the Rs 450-crore water supply projects immediately, considering less than two years were left for the Kumbh Mela. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis during the Kumbh Mela meeting last month had given his approval to undertake water projects to meet the water requirement during the religious gathering in Nashik. At present, the daily water requirement for the entire Nashik city is over 550 million litres per day (MLD). During the Kumbh Mela, the daily water requirement will increase. Apart from Gangapur dam, Nashik city sources water from the Mukane reservoir. NMC lifts water from the jackwell of Gangapur dam at full capacity, but there is still scope to lift more water from the jackwell in the Mukane dam. "The water lifting capacity of our jackwell in Mukane dam is 411 MLD, but we are lifting only 137 MLD of water from it now. We can lift 274 MLD more water, but we need to work on the existing infrastructure for the purpose," an NMC official said. At present, NMC has a water pumping station with a capacity of 137 MLD and a water treatment plant with the same capacity at the Mukane dam. "NMC has decided to build a new water pumping station at Mukane dam with a capacity of 274 MLD and a new water treatment plant near Vilholi on the outskirts of the city of 274 MLD. The city will get an additional 274 MLD of water from Mukane dam, and total lifting from the Mukane dam will increase from the present 137 MLD to 411 MLD," the official said. NMC also plans to lay a 13-km long water distribution pipeline from Vilholi to Sadhugram, where sadhus will stay during the Kumbh Mela. "Around 10 lakh sadhus are expected to visit Nashik during Kumbh Mela. Hence, we will have to develop Sadhugram on 1,000 acres to accommodate sadhus. We will require around 150 MLD of water for Sadhugram alone during the Kumbh Mela and an additional 100 MLD of water for the city. Hence, the new pumping station and new water treatment plant will help meet the water requirement of the city not only for the upcoming Kumbh Mela but also for the next 15 years," another civic official said. The civic officials said they already sent the proposal to state govt, and to the Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran (MJP) for technical sanction. "We expect to get the approvals in the second or third week of May. The tender process for the works will be floated by May-end," a senior civic official said.
