Arappor Iyakkam alleges irregularities in PWD tenders

Arappor Iyakkam alleges irregularities in PWD tenders

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai: 06.08.2021 

The anti-corruption NGO, Arappor Iyakkam on Thursday alleged that tenders floated by the Tamirabarani circle of the state public works department were showing favouritism to a section and demanded that four tenders be cancelled. The NGO had been carrying out a series of anti-corruption campaigns against the previous AIADMK government. It has now targeted the DMK government also for alleged irregularities.

In a press release, Arappor Iyakkam convenor Jayaram Venkatesan said the department had floated tenders valued at ₹30.98 crore and the bids were to be submitted in boxes kept in the office of the superintending engineer of Tamirabarani basin circle. “We reliably learn that all these physical points of contact are currently being used to eliminate other contractors and favour a particular person in the tenders”. He said the conditions in the tender were tweaked to restrict competition rather than promoting competition.

The department floated tenders for extension of groyne at Kovalam, laying groynes at Azhikkal, a groyne at Periyanayaki Street, and check dam across Pazhayaar in Thamaraikulam village.

The tender document mandates the contractors to approach the office of the superintending engineer, Tamirabarani basin circle, to buy the pre-qualification application and the price tender schedule. The application and price tender must be submitted separately, besides earnest money deposit. The annual turnover requirement had been set at 75% of the tender value and 150% of the annual work value. “The Central Vigilance Commission says the above pattern is a common irregularity. It says the average annual financial turnover during the last three years ending March 31 of the previous financial year should be at least 30% of the estimated cost,” Venkatesan said.

The PWD officials said submission of online tenders had not picked up in the department and the documents could be submitted either in boxes or through post. “As regards the tender conditions, we have set the criteria due to the quality mandated for antisea erosion work. If anyone had any objection, they could have brought it to our notice in the last one month and we could have held a pre-bid meeting and sorted it out. But no one objected to it,” said a senior official. While the last date for submission of bids for the first three contracts ended on Thursday, the deadline for the last one is August 17.