Citing anomalies in tender process highway work de-sanctioned
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 29 2015: On account of anomalies in the tender process, the amount sanctioned for repairing Mao (Manipur)-Kidima (Nagaland) section of Imphal-Dimapur highway under Inter-State Connectivity (ISC) has been de-sanctioned.

Following heavy landslide near Kohima which cut off the highway for many days, the Mao-Kidima section was constructed as an alternate route for the time being with active participation of Mao A/C MLA Dikho.

After the road construction work had started, the State PWD sent a proposal to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) for proper development of the particular section.

Responding to the proposal, MoRTH sanctioned Rs 2417.31 crore for development of the 11.60 Km long section on October 21, 2014 .

File photo of a development work along the Imphal-Mao section of the highway

Invitations were issued for holding National competitive bidding on November 21 same year.

But the same process was cancelled as only one bidder came forward.

Bid invitations were issued for the second time on December 12 and this time three bidders responded.

Technical bids of the three bidders were evaluated by a technical evaluation committee which was headed by the PWD Chief Engineer as chairman and comprising of Superintending Surveyor of Works, SE concerned, Assistant Financial Advisor and the Executive Engineer concerned as members.

After the technical evaluation, two 'responsive bidders' were selected and they were forwarded to the higher tender committee for financial bidding which was headed by the Finance Commissioner as chairman.

The committee had PWD Chief Engineer and Special Secretary (Finance) as its members.

After evaluation of the financial bids, the higher recommended M/S HVS Construction Materials (P) Ltd for issuing acceptance letter.

As per the recommendation, an agreement was signed on March 18 this year.

After the road development work had started, the Senapati Division EE submitted a running account bill of Rs 5.78 crore to the Guwahati regional office of MoRTH on August 22 this year.

On examining the running account bill by the regional office, it was learnt that no officer of the regional office was present in the tender evaluation process of the particular contract work even though the same was prescribed by the circular issued by the Ministry to all States and Union Territories on March 16, 2010 and official letters sent on May 21, 2010, November 13, 2014 and February 5, 2015 .

Subsequent upon this revelation, MoRTH's Guwahati regional office Executive Engineer Pradeep Kr Lal sent an intimation to the State PWD Chief Engineer on August 27 asking why no regional officer was made a member of the tender evaluation team.

The State PWD responded by sending a letter through the Superintending Surveyor of Works which gave details of the tender evaluation process.

The letter admitted that there were certain discrepancies as the tendering process was not done in accordance with the circular issued by the Ministry.

Nonetheless, it maintained that the discrepancies had nothing intentional as tender processes for Inter-State Connectivity were done in line with the State norms.

Tender processes for three Inter-State Connectivity works executed by the State PWD were done in accordance to State norms and there were no objections from the Ministry and contractors were paid their bills out of funds received from the Ministry after submission of utilization certificates.

Citing these facts, the letter sought ex-post facto approval for the particular contract work.

It also assured to abide by the Ministry's circular in future tender processes.

However, the Ministry maintained that there were serious anomalies in the tender process and sent another intimation to the State PWD Chief Engineer on December 21 informing that a competent authority of the Ministry had decided to de-sanction the particular work.

This is not the first time MoRTH de-sanctioned road development works already sanctioned for the State of Manipur.