Over a year after tender process, work order issued for Mula river project

Pune: PCMC recently issued a work order for the Mula River Rejuvenation Project, over a year after completing the tender process.
A senior Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation official said the tender process was completed last Aug, but it was stalled as the environment clearance was denied by the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) and an augmented environment clearance was needed.
"As per NGT guidelines, environment clearance is necessary to issue a work order for the project, due to which there was no further development. However, we have issued a work order on Friday after getting the environment clearance. Work will begin soon," the official said.
Sanjay Kulkarni, the city engineer and head of the PCMC's environment department, said the civic body had floated a tender worth Rs 320 crore for the project last year and the contract has been awarded at Rs 274 crore, which was the lowest bid. He added that the deadline for project completion is 36 months.
Kulkarni clarified that the SEIAA had earlier denied permission because an expert opinion from Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS) was needed on the hydraulic and hydrology study of the Mula river.
"PCMC had appointed CWPRS as consultant. There was no issue at our end but there was a problem with the report by Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) for the same project, due to which the environment clearance was denied."
The Mula river joins Mutha river and becomes the Mula-Mutha, for which the PMC is also working on a rejuvenation project in its jurisdiction.
The SEIAA also gave environment clearance for the Indrayani River Rejuvenation Project in the same meeting. Kulkarni said that the tender process for this project is yet to be completed. "We are planning to complete the tender process before the model code of conduct for the assembly elections is implemented," he said.
The Indrayani river passes through the jurisdictions of PCMC, Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) and the Alandi Municipal Council. All three bodies will contribute to its funding. Earlier, state govt had approved a detailed project report worth Rs 995 crore for the project. The civic bodies will also take central govt help as the project has been already approved under the Amrut 2.0 scheme.