Tender ‘row’: Sr Dy Mayor flags irregularities, writes to civic body chief

Alleging irregularities in a Rs 10 crore-tender process for park development in Ludhiana’s Focal Point area, Senior Deputy Mayor Rakesh Prashar has written to Municipal Corporation (MC) Commissioner Aaditya Dachalwal, demanding an inquiry and cancellation of the tenders in question.

Prashar raised concerns over the tenders being opened through the ID of XEN Harjit Singh, who had retired in April 2025. The tenders were reportedly processed on May 16 — weeks after his retirement.

The Senior Deputy Mayor alleged that the allotments appeared tailored to benefit a specific contractor, citing that they were awarded at only 5 per cent below base value, whereas previous tenders often saw rates 20–25 per cent lower.

He described the development as a “scam in plain sight”, questioning how a retired official’s credentials were used in an official process and whether internal permissions were sought.

The MC Commissioner defended the procedure, stating: “Since the tenders were floated from the said official’s ID, they had to be opened from the same ID. This is a standard

protocol followed pan-India. Still, I’ve asked for a written explanation on the matter to maintain transparency.”

Addressing concerns over the low discount rate, he clarified that pricing was determined by contractor bids. “Officials don’t control how much lower contractors quote from the base price,” the civic body chief added.