Corporation dissolves fixation committee after 2 years

According to a Chennai Corporation source, the lack of a principal chief engineer post is the major reason for dissolving the committee. The committee comprised all the chief engineers as its members. "Hereafter, concerned chief engineers will finalise the rates and get approvals from concerned deputy commissioners," the source said.

In December 2019, the civic body had formed the rate fixation committee to fix rates of materials, which are not mentioned in the schedule of rates released by the public works department, while floating tenders.

The committee was formed when the civic body faced wide-scale allegations of corruption and overpricing while awarding tenders.

"Fixing rate for any item will be decided in the committee and rates will be approved only if all the members agreed," the source added.

The committee sat once a year after the public works department releases basic rates and every month to decide on fixing schedule of rates for special items. When there was a need to fix new rates for new items, the committee convened. Moreover, the committee fixed responsibility on all the chief engineers.

"A decision will be made whether to form another committee or reconstituting the same committee with some changes after discussion," the source added.