Blame it on bureaucratic negligence or red tape — key civic projects in the city are far from completion. While non-payment has stalled the delivery of new green city service buses under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), the ongoing works on installation of LED streetlights and electronic traffic signals have also been jeopardised due to lack of coordination between different government agencies. The roads continue to be filled with filth, as an ambitious waste management project seemed to be trapped in the vicious cycle of approvals required at different levels in Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC). Piyush Kumar Tripathi delves into the execution of the projects, which have the mettle of changing the face of the city.

BUS BUBBLE

Scope of work: Supply of 260 32-seat semi-low floor buses to be operated in urban areas in Patna
Project cost: Rs 45 crore
Executing agency: Bihar Urban Infrastructure Development Corporation (BUIDCo)
Commencement of work: First lot of 20 buses rolled out on August 15 last year
Present status: 60 buses running in the city
Reason for stop of work: Non-payment to AB Grain Spirits Pvt. Ltd, the transport wing of Delhi firm Adie Broswon, the operator of the buses
Way forward: Fresh delivery of the remaining buses to be done only after pending amount is paid to the operator

SHELTER SHOCK

Scope of work: Installation of 216 bus queue shelters on either side of the streets at 108 locations
Project cost: Rs 13.72 crore
Executing agency: BUIDCo
Commencement of work: Last week of July last year
Present status: 96 bus queue shelters installed
Reason for stop of work: Non-payment of funds to the tune of Rs 10 crore to Delhi firm Ozone Overseas Pvt. Ltd due to delay in transfer of funds by the PMC 
Way forward: PMC commissioner (in-charge) Shrisat Kapil Ashok has issued instruction for release of funds and it is being processed by the respective treasury; work to resume after Ozone Overseas receives the funds

LIGHT LIMITS

Scope of work: Installation of 1000 LED lights
Project cost: Rs 38.5 crore (approx.)
Executing agency: BUIDCo
Commencement of work: Second week of February
Present status: 39 poles along with fixtures erected on Serpentine Road and 28 on Shaheed Peer Ali Marg, also known 
as airport road
Reason for stop of work: PMC is required to take electricity connection for the streetlights from Patna Electric Supply 
Undertaking (PESU). However, it is not applying for the same as it has heavy pending amounts with PESU on account of electric supply to other civic utilities, including existing streetlights, pump and sump houses and its other establishments. PESU also owes heavy dues to the PMC on account of non-payment of holding tax against its establishments
Way forward: BUIDCo to pursue PMC to get the electricity connection at the earliest otherwise the LED streetlights would be “useless”

SIGNAL SUFFERS

Scope of work: Installation of electronic traffic signals at 97 locations in the city
Project cost: Rs 25.20 crore
Executing agency: BUIDCo
Commencement of work: February 27
Present status: Traffic signals installed and trial run held at IT Roundabout, Planetarium Mor, Kotwali Mor and Dak Bungalow crossing
Reason for stop of work: Work plan for operating the traffic signals in synchronised manner is still to be finalised
Way forward: Patna traffic superintendent of police P.K. Das claimed that the already installed traffic signals would start functioning within a fortnight while those across the entire city are likely to be functional by the end of April

WASTE WAR

Scope of work: Procurement of 1,950 public bins, 21 compactors, four jetting and suction machines and 10 backhoe loaders
Project cost: Rs. 36.95 crore
Executing agency: PMC
Commencement of work: Not yet
Present status: As per the directives of the state government, the PMC has done the rate comparison for procurement of the equipment with BUIDCo
Reason for stoppage of work: The final approval on the finalised rates needs to be taken either from empowered standing committee of the PMC board
Way forward: Work order to be issued to the firms selected in the respective bidding process after the final approval comes

Pictures by Ashok Sinha