GMDA invites resident nominees for monitoring development work

The Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) issued a public notice on Friday inviting the names of senior citizens, from among the retired defence personnel and representatives of residents’ welfare association (RWA), for supervising development or construction works undertaken by the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) to thwart irregularities and ensure quality work.

GMDA officials said the last date to submit the names is August 1 after which the committees will be formed for monitoring works in residential under the jurisdiction of RWA members. GMDA has also issued an email and a form for submitting names and details. Officials said the details could be sent to the joint chief executive officer of the GMDA.

Officials said the decision was taken after a recent meeting of MCG with RWAs and other stakeholders on development works, desilting of clogged drains, timely garbage collection and encroachment removal.Several residents had complained about unsatisfactory works by the contractor.

PC Meena, MCG commissioner, who also heads GMDA , ordered that residents be engaged to monitor the development works carried out by MCG contractors. Later, the ambit was increased to cover even contractors of the GMDA.

On July 25, the MCG decided to release payments to private contractors for desilting the drains and sewer lines only after receiving a satisfactory report from the respective RWAs. Also, they asked contractors to submit before and after pictures of the area while submitting their bills.

The civic agency on Monday set up eight teams of junior engineers to ensure that desilting and cleaning of sewers and drains are being properly undertaken across 35 wards in the city, said officials.

Meena said a report of satisfactory work will be issued by RWAs by their members in the monitoring committee only after which payments to contractors will be cleared by GMDA and MCG. “Earlier, this kind of report was issued by the respective ward councillors but since no fresh elections were held after the end of their tenure, such a provision has been rolled in to ensure free and fair monitoring of work,” he said

The civic agencies have shared a list of contractors with RWAs and asked them to monitor the work of those on the list. The joint commissioners have been asked to inspect the desilting of drains and submit a report as the ongoing work done by them were not satisfactory. If residents themselves are monitoring the work being carried out, they will know what is happening on the ground and be able to resolve issues, said officials.