According to a proposal pending before the South Delhi Municipal Corporation’s Standing Committee, equipment for cleaning drains is estimated to cost Rs.24.11 crore. Ironically, last year, the same equipment was costing Rs.13.42 crore.
A resolution passed by the SDMC on July 15, 2013, gave permission for suction and suction-cum-jetting machines, and six years of operation and maintenance. Only two firms had bid for the tender on August 13, 2013, and one of them had the requisite technical qualifications.
But, since the Pune-based company was a single bidder, which is discouraged by vigilance authorities, the bid was rejected and the tender recalled.
Fast forward to August this year, a proposal for the same machines was put before the civic body. According to proposal, the suction and suction-cum-jetting machines, eight each, and their maintenance will cost Rs.24.11 crore.
Not only has the price shot up, but the same company is once again the winning the single bid. Officials in the Engineering Department want political leaders in the Corporation to authorise the award of tender to the same company.
While the proposal was postponed on August 21 because of opposition, it is still pending before the Standing Committee. Leader of Opposition Farhad Suri said the Congress won’t let officials “cheat the people of Delhi”.
“If there was a problem with it being a single bidder the first time, why now allow the same? And how has the same company’s price quote almost doubled? There is no difference in the number of machines or the quality of materials,” said Mr. Suri.
He added that the BJP leaders in the Corporation were responsible for this inflation in price. “This is an attempt to rob the people of Delhi by the engineers, the Commissioner and the top BJP brass in the SDMC,” Mr. Suri added.
For his part, Leader of the House Subhash Arya agreed there was something wrong. “Our officers are not at all credible if they have come up with this estimate. How have they managed to double the estimate in one year?” Mr. Arya asked.
The machines at the heart of this peculiar proposal are needed for keeping storm and mixed water drains clean and to eradicate the practice of manual scavenging.
