MCD may hire new firm to manage 154 toll points

NEW DELHI: The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) is considering engaging a new company to manage its 154 toll collection entry points at city borders. Work in this regard has already started, officials said.
Mayor Shelly Oberoi said in the house meeting on Thursday, 18 agendas were passed while four were postponed and two referred back. The mayor approved the consideration of a draft proposal for hiring a new toll operator company and for the MCD commissioner to be the competent authority to approve the contract management work.
As per the draft proposal, Rs 847 crore per annum is the minimum base price for the bidding to start for toll operator companies. This is an enhancement of almost 33.2% from the minimum reserve price of Rs 636 crore per annum that was sent in 2017 by the erstwhile South MCD, which used to handle the toll department, stated the proposal, which is yet to be approved by the MCD commissioner.
As per the plan, MCD's current toll operator was given a contract for three years in 2021, which is set to expire in April 2024. The corporation has to finalise a toll operator company before this.
In February this year, the corporation set up a high-level committee for examination and recommendation of tender-related work, such as fixing of minimum reserve price, tender conditions and other technicalities pertaining to toll collection. The committee, comprising eight members, held seven meetings over the year -- the latest was in November -- and worked out a draft.
Mayor Oberoi said items related to transfer of land-approach road, multilevel parking at three places in the central zone, Shanti Devi Sports Club and payment of toll tax were among the agendas postponed in the meeting.
The corporation, meanwhile, passed a proposal to hand over the pet park developed in south Delhi's Jangpura area in PPP mode. As per the plan, a private firm will take up the maintenance and operation of the park for a period of five years and a monthly license fee of Rs 50,000 will be charged.
"The concessioner will be allowed to use a commercial area of about 500 square feet for providing a vet clinic, pet shop, day shelter and a cafeteria," said the MCD proposal.
The park has been developed on a one-acre plot at the cost of Rs 55 lakh, with playing equipment and trail for dogs and daycare facilities.