Tender for purchase of iron benches cancelled

Ravinder Sood

Palampur, August 13

The Palampur Municipal Corporation has cancelled the ‘controversial’ tender floated last month for the purchase of 2,000 cast iron benches. The MC had invited the tender through Government E- Marketing Portal (GEM). These benches were to be installed in different wards of the MC.

The proposed move of the MC had come under fire as there was no space left in the MC area for the installation a large number of cast iron benches valuing over Rs 3 crore. One of the bidders had also filed a complaint with the Chief Secretary.

In his complaint, the bidder, whose tender was rejected, had alleged that the MC had not followed the proper rules and his tender was rejected arbitrarily. It was also alleged that most of the firms, whose bids had been rejected, were manufacturers whereas the bids of traders had been approved.

Vikram Mahajan, Municipal Commissioner, said keeping in view the controversy that had cropped up, he had cancelled the entire tender. Financial bids for this tender were yet to be opened. He said he had also gone through the bids approved and the bids rejected.

The MC had followed the rules and terms and conditions laid in the tender. There was no question of any irregularities committed by the MC.

Mahajan said now it had finally been decided not to purchase these benches. He clarified that only those bids were rejected where bidders had failed to fulfill the pre-qualification conditions laid down in the tender.

The Tribune had highlighted the issue last week.