Nagpur: Seventeen years after city roads were widened under IRDP (Integrated Roads Development Programme), Nagpur Municipal Corporation is yet to remove electric poles and transformers from 22 roads across the city. The civic body could complete work on 25 roads. It is also a contempt of highcourt as it had set the deadline as April 30, 2012, for finishing the work.

The delay has come to fore from NMC electrical department’s proposal before the general body seeking permission to avail financial assistance of Rs 7.50 crore and loan of Rs 17.50 crore from Maharashtra Urban Infrastructure Development Company Ltd (MUINFRA) for completing the remaining work. As per the proposal, the state government will deduct the loan repayment amount from GST grant given to NMC every month in case the latter failed to repay it.

NMC needs Rs 50 crore for laying underground electric network followed by removing the poles and transformers from 22 roads. NMC and MSEDCL will contribute Rs 25 crore each for this. As NMC is financially strapped, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis got approved financial assistance of Rs 7.50 crore from MUINFRA to NMC. MUINFRA will give remaining amount of Rs 17.50 crore as low-interest loan.

NMC had widened 47 roads under IRDP in 2001. The electric poles and transformers adjacent to these roads were not removed while widening the roads. Thus, the power infrastructure came on carriageway causing obstacle to traffic and accidents.

In 2004, NGO Janmanch filed a petition in the HC asking for directives to NMC for freeing the roads from electric poles and transformers. On November 21, 2005, HC set deadline of April 30, 2012 for NMC to complete the work.

As per NMC’s data, 15 private contractors were roped in to execute the work on 27 roads at a cost of Rs 50 crore. As of today, work on 25 roads has been completed while it is still pending on two roads. MSEDCL had given its share of Rs 25 crore for the work on 27 roads.

NMC official told TOI, the work got delayed due as government did not permit the NMC to raise loan. “NMC is facing a financial crisis. Therefore, works were executed as and when funds were available,” he said.

President of Janmanch Anil Killor said NMC has been in contempt of the court all these years. “Electric poles and transformers on newly concretized roads have also not been removed. It is a sheer negligence on part of NMC,” he said.

NMC’s budget is over Rs 2,200 crore per year. Its claim of not having Rs 50 crore for crucial work of shifting poles and transformers for 17 years is questionable.

