Anomalies in awarding water supply project: Ex-Dy Mayor

Shimla, August 30

Alleging anomalies in the process of awarding the World Bank-funded 24×7 water supply project to a private firm on exorbitant rates by the Shimla Jal Prabandhan Nigam Limited (SJPNL), former Deputy Mayor Tikender Panwar has written to Chief Secretary (CS) Prabodh Saxena to intervene in the matter and provide solution for the same.

In a letter addressed to the CS, former Deputy Mayor stated, “It has come to my knowledge that the SJPNL is in a hurry to award the 24×7 water supply project to a private company, SUEZ India.

Panwar said, “The Central Public Health and Environmental Engineering Organisation approved the project DPR for around Rs 490 crore in 2022. The project was put out for bid in October 2022 and the same company quoted around Rs 790 crore for the project. We cautioned the government not to take any step in a hurry. The bid was finally cancelled by the SJPNL then. However, it again put out the project for bid in March 2023 and the bid amount quoted by the same company was around Rs 920 crore, which is Rs 131 crore higher than its previous bid,” he said.

He added, “As there are only two bidders, there is a strong possibility of cartelisation. If there are signs of the cartelisation, the bid should be cancelled immediately.” He said, “A special investigation team should be constituted to evaluate the functioning of the SJPNL. All projects of the company should be investigated.”

Panwar has requested the CS to address the issues, failing which, “we will have no other option but to go to the court of law,” he said.