Gaya: The empowered standing committee of Gayajii Municipal Corporation on Tuesday approved a series of measures aimed at improving sanitation, street lighting, water supply and municipal revenues, after a meeting dominated by concerns over poor civic services and administrative delays.
The meeting, held at the civic body’s auditorium, was chaired by mayor Virendra Kumar alias Ganesh Paswan. Senior officials, committee members and engineering staff were also present.
Several proposals discussed during the meeting are expected to be placed for final approval before the full board on Thursday.
Mayor rebukes officials over sanitation failures
Sanitation emerged as the central issue, with the mayor expressing dissatisfaction over conditions in several wards. He warned that continued failures in waste collection and cleanliness could damage the city’s public standing and rankings.
Officials informed the committee that the corporation currently has 325 sanitation vehicles, of which 26 are out of service. The mayor directed that all non-functional vehicles be repaired immediately and said new vehicles should be procured if necessary to avoid disruption.
Delayed tenders draw threat of action
Committee member Akhouri Omkarnath alias Mohan Srivastava raised concerns over delays in tendering, saying several development works had stalled because contracts had not been processed in time.
Municipal commissioner Abhishek Palasia warned engineers and officials that negligence would not be tolerated. He said failure to improve progress by the next meeting could result in salary stoppages and suspensions.
11,000 LED lights planned for 53 wards
The committee also approved an extensive street-lighting programme after members highlighted dark stretches in neighbourhoods and lanes across the city.
Under the plan, 11,000 LED lights will be installed across all 53 wards. Each ward is also expected to receive one high-mast and one mini high-mast light.
The panel further approved the purchase of 70 high-mast and 70 mini high-mast units for major intersections and crowded public areas.
Water supply concerns as agency officials absent
With high summer temperatures intensifying demand, water supply was treated as a priority agenda item. However, the absence of officials from BUDCO drew criticism from the mayor, who described it as serious negligence at a time when residents were facing shortages.
The committee resolved to write to the state urban development department, the Magadh commissioner and the district magistrate seeking action.
It also approved the purchase of 40 new water tankers and 25 tractor engines to strengthen emergency supply. Commercial areas are also expected to receive regular tanker-based water distribution.
Drain cleaning ordered before monsoon
Members expressed concern that large-scale cleaning of drains and sewers had yet to begin despite April nearing its end, raising fears of waterlogging during the monsoon.
Engineering officials said the tender process had been completed but contractor participation remained limited. The committee instructed officers to begin works immediately and ensure completion within deadline.
