PMC Opposition Leader Nilesh Nikam seeks smaller drainage tenders, not Rs 350 crore contracts

Advocate Nilesh Nikam, Leader of the Opposition in the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), has asked the civic body to float smaller tenders for drainage network and sewage treatment plant (STP) work in the villages included within the corporation's limits. He said the tenders should be village-wise or based on natural basins, and should not be bundled into big contracts worth hundreds of crores of rupees.

Nikam has submitted a memorandum to the municipal commissioner. It seeks more competition and transparency in the tender process. It also asks for safeguards on the quality of work, public safety and administrative accountability.

Large tenders for drainage networks and STPs in these villages are expected to be issued soon. However, the development plans for these areas are still stuck.

Nikam said the corporation should first survey natural streams, drains, existing roads and the flow of wastewater. The survey should be based on natural drainage basins, and the work should be planned afterwards. He said that instead of one big tender, separate packages should be made according to technical requirements, which would benefit the corporation itself.

Nikam has objected to a proposal to club projects into tenders of about Rs 300 crore to Rs 350 crore. He argued that such contracts could reduce the chance for capable local contractors to take part in bidding.

He alleged that contractors who win big projects often keep their profit and get the actual work done by sub-contractors at lower rates. According to him, this could affect the quality of construction.

Nikam also asked the PMC to look at the Central Vigilance Commission's guidelines, so that overly strict eligibility conditions do not kill competition. He said smaller packages would allow work to begin at many places at once.

According to the memorandum, projects could be completed in nine to 12 months this way, whereas they may now drag on for three to four years. Nikam said that if work is finished in less time, the extra cost caused by rising prices would come down and roads could be restored sooner after digging.

Nikam also listed the dangers of roads remaining dug up for long, such as traffic jams and accidents. The memorandum refers to the alleged death of an elderly person who fell into a pit dug for drainage work on October 18, 2026. In view of this, he has sought a time-bound construction schedule that gives top priority to public safety.

He has proposed that contractors be made responsible for obtaining the necessary permissions from the traffic police, the railways, the National Highways Authority of India and the electricity department. He said no extension or additional payment should be granted on the pretext of delays in these permissions.

The memorandum also suggests that engineers attached to the projects should not be transferred until the work is complete. The reason given is that for effective monitoring, the same officer must remain continuously in charge of supervision.

Nikam has demanded that full details of every drainage line, including its length, depth and manhole locations, be geotagged on a GIS (Geographic Information System) and kept open to all. He said the vigilance department should check the quality and measurement of at least 25 per cent of completed work before bills are paid.

The memorandum seeks penalties for delays and suggests withholding the project consultant's fee if shortfalls in quality are found.

Citing Sections 73 and 74 of the Maharashtra Municipal Corporations Act and Section 4 of the Right to Information Act, Nikam has asked the administration to include these conditions in the tender documents to ensure public money is used properly. He warned that if the demands are not accepted, he will file a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Bombay High Court to stop the alleged waste of public money.