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TDR (Transfer
of Development rights) for Development Works!
It is a good concept, which PMC is adopting.
It. is like a barter system. You give me
Good Quality Development, and I give you
TDR instead of hard cash. It is step towards
Public-Private partnership.
But tendering
for development work, and awarding work
to lowest, will create big problem. As always,
policy is laudable. Proper implementation
requires critical thinking. Condition of
roads today is very pathetic. Main culprit
is tendering system. Because of low
quoting and corruption, the required quality
is not achieved. How one can expect Good
Quality at cheap (lowest) rates?
And by tendering, PMC will be inviting contractors,
who have limited capacity. They want to
be paid regularly, to keep the tempo going.
They are not in a position to invest and
block large sums. Moreover, expecting 10
years Guarantee and/or service from the
contractor is almost impossible. Contractors
will again going sell TDR to Builders.
Builders are a different creed. They have
capacity to sustain large investments. They
sell in the market by their reputation.
They can easily maintain services for 10
years Guarantee. Builders will construct
such roads, which will help them in creating
infrastructure for their large projects
in the vicinity. They are bound to give
Quality job, as this will give them good
name in the society. Also they will be able
to reap handsome dividends in their main
project. Even if they slightly loose in
development work, they will be able to make
much more in their main project. Besides,
they are the end-users of TDR.
If we really want to see that this TDR-for-Development
concept works, we will have to abandon
tendering system and abandon awarding
work to lowest bidder. Estimates, of creating
development work, could be made on PWD standard
schedule of rates, add reasonable contractor's
profit. Against these expenses, TDR equivalent
(of the place where TDR is used) worked
out on ready beckoner prices could be given
to the concerned Builder.
To ensure that the Builder maintains (parameters
well defined) the developed facility for
10 years, make it mandatory for Builder
to display his name at prominent place of
development. In addition he could be given
rights to display his name there, may be
like "This Road (or any facility, for that
matter) is Constructed and maintained by
"M/S ABC Builders" etc.
It is advisable for PMC, to take little
more time on planning and bring the concept
policy giving detailed and well-defined
specifications and Amenities, before jumping
in the fray in haste. Objective is simple
that city gets Qualitative Development,
befitting our city's stature and expectations.
No trial & error method this time!
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