Pune: The standing committee of the civic body on Thursday cleared a proposal to appoint a consultant for initiating environmental clearance of the Paud Phata-Balbharati road, which is being opposed by green activists.The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC)’s second attempt to raise tenders for the same was also opposed by the activists, who alleged the cost was inflated by Rs1 crore and demanded an investigation.Vijay Kumbhar of citizens group Surajya Sangharsh Samiti said a second tender was floated after the first received no response. In the second round, though the lowest bid received was for Rs34.7 lakh, it was projected at Rs1.5 crore when the proposal was presented to the standing committee for approval. “The cost of the same work was inflated nearly four-folds. The official records offer no clear justification or basis for such a massive increase,” he added.Sushama Date of Vetal Tekdi Bachav Kruti Samiti expressed surprise that PMC had decided to award four times the bid amount to the same consultant. “It is incumbent on PMC to float a new tender and invite fresh bids, if the terms of reference and scope of work have changed for the consultant and the tender amount has increased so drastically,” she said.Date said the Supreme Court (SC) has recognised the ecological importance of Vetal Tekdi and mandated an environmental clearance (EC) for the project. “It is shocking that PMC has not realised this in its desperate hurry to build the road,” she added.Meanwhile, PMC officials said the works will be conducted in four phases and that is why the tender amount has increased.Chairman of the standing committee Shrinath Bhimale said the proposal was approved considering the urgency of the study and the SC directives. “We want the road to be completed at the earliest. The civic administration cross-verified the rates and other factors before sending the proposal to us. There is nothing objectionable,” he said.PMC officials said a petition was filed in the apex court regarding the 30-metre-wide development plan road from Balbharti to Paud Phata. The court issued an order which has necessitated an environmental clearance certificate for the project.The proposal said: “An experienced consultant — who has previously been engaged by the Govt of Maharashtra or the Govt of India for obtaining EC for road projects — must be appointed immediately to complete the assigned work within the stipulated deadline.”
