KATHMANDU: Officials at the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) are allegedly demanding bribes and commissions with people even in the public development projects contributed by the latter. The KMC carries out many public development projects in coordination with the people, who contribute 40 per cent of the total cost of such projects. According to the KMC, about 70 projects of Rs 50 million and 28 projects of Rs 100 million in the body were carried out in the last fiscal year. “There is not any fixed rule in sharing the project with public,” said Rajesh Tiwari, a local of Chandol in KMC-4. “It varies depending on commissions,” he added. Tiwari said that there were innumerable cases of irregularities relating to tender and development projects. “When we shared 20 per cent of the project to conserve the public land at Chandol, a KMC overseer working in our ward demanded some Rs 5,000 for evaluating the performance and approving file,” he claimed. The engineers and officials of the KMC approve the project tender at the unnecessarily high budget, said Tiwari. “A contractor proposes Rs 1 million for a work of about Rs 200,000 and the KMC officials approve it for the commission.” “On the other hand, the KMC officials linger approving project file till the locals will pay them the amount based on the project size,” said Tiwari.“We complained of the case at KMC, which assured us to take action, but to no avail.” Suraj Shakya, an engineer at the KMC, said that it had been a common culture in the civic body. “I’m totally against it but I cannot change them,” he admitted. “People come with files lacking necessary documents. When I marked them other officials manipulate it for bargaining over the loopholes,” he said, adding that he has been compelled to be a mute spectator. “Ordinary people are exploited while the persons in contact with secretaries and high ranking officials influence them in the works sans necessary documents,” Shakya added. Niranjan Baral, government secretary and newly appointed Chief Executive of the KMC, said that he had heard about such practices. “I’m briefing all the department staffs regarding the service delivery and good governance,” he said.