As criticism intensified, standing committee chairman Prabhakar Shinde directed the administration to halt the proposals and restrict the appointment of consultants to specialised cases requiring technical expertise.The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation administration on Wednesday defended its move of appointing single agency as private project management consultant (PMC) for nine water infrastructure projects in Mumbai.A PMC is a third party organisation which carries out a detailed project report (DPR) of any civic project which is to be undertaken by the civic body. The construction plan for the project is then prepared on the basis of this DPR, following which contractors are appointed for construction. Meanwhile, the appointed PMC oversees the construction work and acts as a supervisor.Over the past few years, the BMC has taken up as many as 14 water infrastructure projects including the Gargai Dam water project, the Modak Sagar water treatment plant, the desalination plant and the ongoing Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) project, under which the BMC aims to construct 7 STPs across Mumbai’s island city, eastern and western suburbs.The cost of these projects exceed Rs 30,000 crore and according to the authorities, the civic body pays 1 per cent of the total project cost to the PMC, which amounts to Rs 300 crore.However, the civic body’s data shows that a single agency — Tata Consultancy Engineers — had bagged a contract for working as a consultant for 9 out of the 32 water projects.The civic body’s move led to a huge uproar among the civic standing committee earlier this month, following which the authorities gave a detailed explanation on why this consultant was appointed.On Wednesday, while giving a presentation to the civic standing committee, the civic officials stated that the process of appointing a consultant is transparent, competitive and governed by established rules. The authorities also maintained that consultants are empanelled through a structured selection process approved by the Standing Committee.Story continues below this adThe BMC stated that consultants are engaged for projects requiring specialised expertise, technical knowledge and experience that may not be readily available within the municipal administration.“TCE was appointed since the projects demanded immediate appointment and completion by 2029. Besides this, this firm also has knowledge in working with BMC in several water supply projects, therefore, we selected them solely on the basis of ease of execution,” a civic official said.“During the selection process another consultant which submitted the bids failed to adhere by the bidding estimates,” added the official.The official also maintained that TCE’s appointment will save BMC 50 per cent of PMC’s charges since the other contract was charging above the estimated amount.Story continues below this adHowever, members of the opposition continued to question the BMC’s move of appointing consultants. Ashraf Azmi, Congress group leader and senior corporator said, “The administration has failed to answer that why these 9 contracts were handed to a single contractor without any tendering process.”“Earlier, when tenders for construction of the Gargai Dam project were floated, the government owned Wapcos limited was finalised as the bidder. However, the BMC didn’t award this project citing conflict of interest as Wapcos had already prepared the DPR for the project. If that is the case, then why the same rule doesn’t apply for the other contractor as well ?,” said Azmi.Taking a swipe at the administration, BJP leader of the House Ganesh Khankar said, “It appears that the consultants will even be roped in to prepare Municipal Corporation’s budget some time soon.”As criticism intensified, standing committee chairman Prabhakar Shinde directed the administration to halt the proposals and restrict the appointment of consultants to specialised cases requiring technical expertise. Pratip Acharya is a seasoned journalist based in Mumbai reporting for The Indian Express. With a career spanning over a decade, his work demonstrates strong Expertise and Authority in critical urban issues, civic affairs, and electoral politics across Eastern and Western India. Expertise & Authority Current Role: Journalist, The Indian Express (IE), reporting from Mumbai. Core Authority: Pratip's reporting focuses sharply on local democracy and development, specializing in: Urban Governance and Civic Affairs: Providing in-depth analysis of municipal decision-making, city planning, and local infrastructure, essential for informed urban reporting. City Politics and Environment: Covering the political dynamics of Mumbai and surrounding areas, alongside critical environmental challenges impacting the metro region. Electoral Coverage (High-Stakes Experience): He has extensive experience in high-stakes political reporting, having covered major elections, establishing his Trustworthiness in political analysis: National: Lok Sabha elections in 2014 and 2019. State: West Bengal Assembly elections in 2016 and Maharashtra Assembly elections in 2019. Major Assignments (Ground Reporting): Pratip demonstrated commitment during crises by conducting ground reporting throughout the Covid-19 pandemic since its breakout in 2020, offering first-hand accounts and analysis of the public health crisis. Experience Extensive Experience: Starting his career in 2014, Pratip has built his foundation across multiple prominent English dailies: Started at The Times of India in Kolkata (2014). Relocated to Mumbai (2016) and worked with The Free Press Journal and Hindustan Times before joining The Indian Express. Pratip Acharya's diverse experience across major publications, coupled with his specialized focus on the intricate details of urban governance and a track record of covering major electoral and health crises, establishes him as a trusted and authoritative source for news from India's critical metropolitan centres. ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on InstagramTags:Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation BMCMumbai