Pathankot contractor accuses Water Resources Department of refloating tender unfairly

The owner of a Pathankot-based firm has alleged that the Department of Water Resources, Punjab, acted in a mala fide manner by not allocating work to his company despite it being the highest bidder.

The tender, opened on February 20, was for the lifting of river bed material (RBM) dumped near Power Houses No. 1 and 2 of the Ranjit Sagar Dam. The tendering process was conducted through the e-procurement system.

However, the department did not consider the claim of Pathankot-based Mahadev Contractors, owned by Manjit Singh, citing the reason that there were only two bidders.

The department has now re-invited tenders. Sources say the department cannot re-invite tenders until a decision is taken on the earlier bids.

Manjit Singh alleged that the department was attempting to favour one of its “blue-eyed boys”, who he claimed is related to a senior officer. “Rules state that even if there are two bidders, the work should be allotted to the highest bidder. In this case, my firm was the highest bidder,” he said.

Apart from Mahadev Contractors, the other firm that participated in the tender was Kalgidhar Industries. Singh further claimed that there have been precedents where contracts were awarded even when there was only one bidder.

“In June last year, the department awarded a similar tender to a single bidder — Winners Construction Private Limited. The department is clearly following double standards,” he alleged.

Kulwinder Singh, Superintending Engineer (SE), said, “We have acted in accordance with the rules. We cannot make a decision if there are only two bidders.”

Manjit Singh, however, alleged that the SE was concealing the facts and said he was left with no option but to move the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

“Following the Punjab Transparency and Public Procurement Rules, 2022, the department opened the technical bids of the two bidders. After both firms were found technically qualified, their financial bids were opened. My firm emerged as the highest bidder. However, with mala fide intent, the department has refloated the tender,” Singh said.

He added that a thorough probe should be conducted into the entire episode so that the truth can come to light.