Mumbai News: BMC Blacklists Contractor For Fraudulent Silt Removal Claims In Chembur, Revokes Engineering Registration

Mumbai: The BMC has taken stringent action against a contractor found guilty of malpractice during silt removal work from minor nullahs in the M West ward, Chembur. The contractor, accused of negligence and causing financial loss to the civic body by submitting fraudulent claims, has been blacklisted for a period of three years. Additionally, his registration with the BMC's engineering department has also been revoked.

The BMC had appointed M/s. Bhumika Transport for the desilting and cleaning of minor nullahs, roadside drains, and culverts in the M-West ward, including those along the Eastern Express Highway.

During the course of the work, the Storm Water Drains (SWD) Department received a complaint alleging that the contractor was mixing construction debris with silt to fraudulently inflate the weight of the desilted material.

"A video accompanying the complaint clearly displayed the vehicle’s registration number. Based on this registration number, BMC could identify the contractor to whom the vehicle was registered and verified the date of the footage," said BMC in its official statement released on Saturday.

"Using Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based monitoring systems, further inspections of the same vehicle’s other trips were carried out. AI-based monitoring revealed the contractor was mixing construction debris with silt during transport, confirmed through video analysis," said a civic official.

The BMC issued a show-cause notice on April 28, but the explanations submitted by the contractor on April 30 and May 7 were deemed unsatisfactory. The BMC concluded the contractor deliberately committed fraud and has requested an FIR be registered with the police.

"The contractor has been blacklisted for three years and their engineering registration with the BMC has been cancelled. As per Clause 7.3.6 of the 'Registered Contractor Rules 2016', they have also been instructed to surrender their original registration certificate," he added.

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