CP's upkeep takes backseat due to delay in contract approval

Cleanliness work in Connaught Place has been affected due to delay in awarding a contract to a private company for ensuring proper upkeep of the market in the heart of the national capital.
A private entity was chosen to maintain cleanliness in CP but the final award of the contract to the firm is yet to be given as a number of members of the New Delhi Municipal Council have raised certain objections about its terms and conditions.
NDMC officials said private entity, J C Decaux was chosen following stricly laid down procedures and the delay in awarding the contract to it has severely affected the upkeep of the market which was redeveloped at a cost of around Rs 600 crore.

They said a discussion on awarding the contract had taken place at a council meeting on September 19 where some of the members, including New Delhi MP Meenakshi Lekhi demanded a copy of the contract but nobody had raised any "dissent" over the decision to involve the operator.
NDMC Chairperson Jalaj Shrivastava in a letter dated October 20, had written to the members of the council that the award of the contract was approved after due discussions and presentation and all possible queries raised by the members were answered in the council meeting.
"This was an unanimous decision. However, in case differences emerge on any issue, the dissent note is required from the member concerned, which we have not received till date," Shrivastava, who left for an official training to US for a month yesterday, said in the communication.

The contract was supposed to be finalised in the meeting to be held on October 21 but it could not take place as Lekhi, who chaired the council meeting held on September 19, refused to sign the minutes of that meeting, NDMC officials said.
When asked about the issue, Lekhi said the approval is not valid as some of the members including her had raised objections and demanded a copy of the contract and of previous such contracts and the approval cannot take place without satisfying their queries.
"How can they approve the contract without satisfying the queries of the members. That is why I did not sign the minutes of the meeting regarding this matter," Lekhi said.