Training for Census officials in Nagpur from March 23 Nagpur: Preparations for the first phase of the Census of India 2027 have accelerated, with the district administration set to begin training sessions for census officials starting March 23. The initiative marks the beginning of field-level readiness for the upcoming houselisting operations. Officials mentioned that a group of master trainers had undergone training in Pune on March 14 and 15 and have now returned to Nagpur to lead local sessions. The training will focus on charge officers and supervisory staff, who will later guide enumerators before the door-to-door data collection process. The sessions will be conducted under the supervision of senior district officials, with both rural and urban teams being trained simultaneously. The programme will cover operational protocols, digital data collection, and coordination mechanisms. For rural areas, the administration has identified 43 charge offices to oversee operations across 13 tehsils, 29 nagar panchayats, and the Nagpur Cantonment region. Each charge officer will supervise 100 to 150 enumeration blocks. In the city, the civic body has planned 10 charge officers per zone, supported by four sub-officers each, along with around five head office officials, taking the total to over 55 officers. The district is expected to deploy over 4,000 enumerators in rural areas, while the NMC will engage around 6,000 enumerators for urban coverage. Each enumerator will handle a block of 600 to 800 residents, with supervisors assigned to monitor small teams. The census will be conducted in two phases, beginning with the houselisting and housing census between April and September 2026, followed by population enumeration in February 2027.#nagpur #nmc #census_of_india_2027 #nagpur_cantonment #nagpur_district_administration
NMC Tenders Spark Concern Over Infrastructure Quality Amid Low Bids Nagpur: The Nagpur Municipal Corporation's (NMC) public works department has proposed approving tenders quoted at significantly lower-than-estimated rates, raising alarms about potential compromises to construction standards. Two key proposals—bids 38.90% and 37.18% below the base cost—have been forwarded to the standing committee for review. These proposals are set to be discussed at the committee meeting scheduled for Wednesday. Of the six proposals submitted by the public works department (PWD), three relate to administrative approvals, one involves inviting tenders, and two pertain to cement road works. Civic officials noted that intense competition among contractors has driven them to aggressively underbid, resulting in rates far below the sanctioned project costs. This trend has sparked concerns about the quality of infrastructure projects, as the department itself is approving these low bids. Officials emphasized that while the tendering process remains transparent, the unusually low quotes have triggered broader debates about whether project estimates are inflated or if contractors are undercutting costs to secure work orders. This is not the first time such low bids have raised eyebrows. In previous instances, several civic works were awarded at sharply discounted rates, prompting scrutiny over cost assessments and contractor practices. For example, a tender for I-block installation saw a bid 41.62% below the estimated cost. The project, initially valued at Rs28.99 lakh, was awarded to a bidder quoting Rs16.92 lakh. With 28 bidders participating, most quoted 30–40% below estimates, signaling a growing "race to the bottom.#times_of_india #nagpur_municipal_corporation #nmc #public_works_department #sanjay_mahakalkar
Bear Demolition Cost at Poonam Chambers: High Court Orders N Kumar to Bear Expenses The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court on Monday directed petitioner N Kumar to bear the cost of demolishing unauthorized constructions at Poonam Chambers. The court ordered that the amount be deposited with the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) within two weeks after the submission of a detailed estimate. This directive came during the hearing of a petition filed by N Kumar regarding alleged illegal constructions at Poonam Chambers and Poonam Towers. The matter was heard by a division bench comprising Justices Anil Pansare and Nivedita Mehta, who adjourned the hearing until March 30. The court was informed that the NMC had already begun demolition work in compliance with earlier court orders. The bench instructed NMC officials to complete the demolition and provide a detailed estimate of the expenditure to the court and the petitioner. During the proceedings, chartered accountant Abhiruchi Agrawal, representing the petitioner, submitted a progress report on the demolition work. The court recorded the report, which stated that unauthorized structures in the parking area of the building complex had been removed. NMC counsel JB Kasat informed the bench that approximately 80% of the demolition in the parking area had been completed, with the remaining work expected to be finished soon. Kasat also mentioned that the demolition process had been temporarily halted on March 5. The judges noted that the petitioner had previously given a written undertaking to the court to remove the illegal constructions but had failed to comply with that commitment. The bench indicated that the issue of non-compliance would be addressed in a later hearing.#nagpur_bench #n_kumar #poonam_chambers #nmc #anil_pansare
