The Calcutta Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) will resume recruitment after 18 years. For now, 215 engineers are to be appointed.

Officials attribute the move to the increasing number of projects that the agency is taking up.

The agency is now handling projects worth Rs 1,000 crore, including some under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, Indian Population Project-VIII and the Ganga Action Plan.

It has also been working on schemes related to refugee rehabilitation and information and culture.

“We need more engineers to complete the projects on time. Funds from the urban renewal mission will have to be returned if the work is not completed within three years,” said CMDA chief executive officer P.R. Baviskar.

“There will be complete transparency in the recruitment procedure,” claimed P.B. Nag, general secretary, Development Employees Joint Action Committee.

The last recruitment was made in 1989. At that time, the agency had a manpower strength of 4,700.

The strength has now come down to 3,800.