Ahmedabad's Rs 140 Crore Tenders Under Corruption Cloud
The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation's parks and gardens department finds itself in hot water. Tenders worth a staggering Rs 140.2 crore have come under intense scrutiny. Serious allegations of corruption in the agency qualification process have surfaced. Furthermore, the tender documents themselves are under fire for missing several crucial aspects.
Municipal Commissioner Orders File Review
Municipal Commissioner Banchha Nidhi Pani has taken direct action. He has sent the files related to these December-floated tenders for a detailed examination. The files have been forwarded to Vijay Mistry, the joint director (mechanical) at the AMC's central office.
However, the scrutiny process hit an immediate roadblock. Officials discovered that the files lacked sufficient documentation. Mistry has formally requested the parks department to provide all the missing papers. He made it clear that a formal examination can only begin once the department fulfills all documentation requirements.
Details of the Controversial Tenders
Sources provided specific details about the two tenders in question. The department floated them separately in December.
- The first tender aimed to empanel agencies for supplying tractor trolleys.
- The second tender sought manpower for garden maintenance.
Both tenders were set for a three-year term. They also included a provision for a possible two-year extension.
The financial scale is significant. The tractor trolley tender was worth Rs 16.17 crore per year. This totals Rs 48.51 crore over the full three-year period. The manpower supply tender carried an even higher value. It was priced at Rs 30.97 crore annually, summing to Rs 91.71 crore for three years.
Allegations of Wrongful Qualification and Corruption
The core of the controversy involves the qualification of agencies. Allegations claim that certain agencies were wrongly qualified during the process. There are strong claims of significant corruption. These claims specifically point fingers at a particular official within the department.
These allegations have prompted concrete action from other contractors. Multiple contractors have submitted formal written objections. They have addressed these objections to the principal director of the parks and gardens department and to Municipal Commissioner Pani. Their demand is clear: a vigilance probe into the entire tendering process. As of now, no such investigation has been officially initiated.
The objections are not vague. For instance, on December 30, one contracting agency submitted a detailed letter. This letter directly challenged the tender provisions and the qualification criteria set by the department.
Multiple Suspicious Aspects in Empanelment Process
The entire empanelment process by the parks and gardens department has raised serious questions. A source within the AMC highlighted several suspicious aspects that remain unresolved.
Key questions include:
- The actual number of tractors required: Is the quoted number justified?
- Designated shift hours: Are the work hours clearly defined and reasonable?
- Data on waste volume: Where is the data on the volume of waste generated in the city?
- Comparison with past work: How does this new plan compare with how the work was handled previously?
- Logic behind criteria: What is the reasoning behind the experience and financial criteria set for participating companies?
Uncertain Future for the Tenders
The municipal corporation has decided to scrutinize all related files thoroughly. This decision marks a critical step. However, the final outcome remains uncertain. It is still unclear whether these multi-crore proposals will eventually gain approval. Furthermore, it is not known if they will be forwarded to the standing committee for final sanction after the current investigation concludes. The scrutiny process will determine the fate of these contentious tenders.
