The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has expressed its willingness to take over all city roads but has stressed that the requisite formalities would have to be done before the objective was achieved.
At present, three agencies - NMC, NIT and PWD maintain the city roads - causing a lot of confusion and provides the agencies a chance to pass the buck on to each other.
Avinash Thakre, chairman of NMC's public works committee, blamed the state government for not taking an interest in expediting the process.
"We had sent a proposal to state government in early 2010 showing our readiness to maintain all the roads in the city. We had demanded additional funds for maintaining NIT and PWD roads. However, the government has not responded so far," he rued.
While, NMC says it is ready to take over all city roads, most of its existing roads are in quite bad shape through out the year.
The officials and the office-bearers dish out the usual excuses about lack of funds, heavy traffic, etc whenever they are questioned.
Thakre also slammed public works department (PWD) for not following up on its proposal to hand over 54 roads. "PWD had sent us the proposal in April 2006.
The House deliberated on this proposal following which the administration sent two letters to PWD, one in 2009 and another in 2010, but we have not received any response so far," Thakre said.
He further said that NMC had told PWD that if the civic agency took over the roads then NMC should get government grants for maintenance of these roads.
"Secondly, PWD will have to hand over the roads in good shape. Some of the roads are so bad that we will have to spend crores on repairing them," he stressed.
Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT) officials on the other hand accuse NMC of shirking from its responsibility of maintaining the roads. "NMC is the development agency. It collects taxes from Nagpurians. We only collect measly ground rent. As per law it is their job to maintain the roads," an official said.
Thakre said that the NIT had been asked by government to maintain certain roads. "We have received a letter from NIT in this regard two weeks ago. The municipal commissioner will send them a reply soon."
At present, three agencies - NMC, NIT and PWD maintain the city roads - causing a lot of confusion and provides the agencies a chance to pass the buck on to each other.
Avinash Thakre, chairman of NMC's public works committee, blamed the state government for not taking an interest in expediting the process.
"We had sent a proposal to state government in early 2010 showing our readiness to maintain all the roads in the city. We had demanded additional funds for maintaining NIT and PWD roads. However, the government has not responded so far," he rued.
While, NMC says it is ready to take over all city roads, most of its existing roads are in quite bad shape through out the year.
The officials and the office-bearers dish out the usual excuses about lack of funds, heavy traffic, etc whenever they are questioned.
Thakre also slammed public works department (PWD) for not following up on its proposal to hand over 54 roads. "PWD had sent us the proposal in April 2006.
The House deliberated on this proposal following which the administration sent two letters to PWD, one in 2009 and another in 2010, but we have not received any response so far," Thakre said.
He further said that NMC had told PWD that if the civic agency took over the roads then NMC should get government grants for maintenance of these roads.
"Secondly, PWD will have to hand over the roads in good shape. Some of the roads are so bad that we will have to spend crores on repairing them," he stressed.
Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT) officials on the other hand accuse NMC of shirking from its responsibility of maintaining the roads. "NMC is the development agency. It collects taxes from Nagpurians. We only collect measly ground rent. As per law it is their job to maintain the roads," an official said.
Thakre said that the NIT had been asked by government to maintain certain roads. "We have received a letter from NIT in this regard two weeks ago. The municipal commissioner will send them a reply soon."
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