Polavaram authority asks Andhra Pradesh to rethink retendering
The State had terminated Navayuga Engineering from executing the Polavaram project citing irregularities in awarding the work.
VIJAYAWADA: Polavaram Project Authority (PPA) has advised the State Government to abandon the idea of pre-closure and retendering the project as it will delay the project and will also have socio-economic impact on the project.
PPA CEO R.K. Jain on Friday wrote to State Secretary of the Water Resources Department and said that there is not enough ground for pre-closure of the tenders and re-tendering of works. The State Government had terminated Nava-yuga Engineering Company from executing the Polavaram project citing irregularities in awarding the work and also announced that it will call for reverse tendering of the works.
The letter from Mr Jain assumed significance in this background. Mr Jain recollected how an emergency meeting was called on August 13 to discuss about the pre-closure of tenders and re-tendering the balance work.
“It transpired during the meeting that there is neither enough ground nor any necessity for pre-closure of present tenders and re-tendering work. Such a step will result into unforeseen consequences and will plunge the project into uncertainty. The project is likely to get delayed and it will have adverse socio-economic impact as well due to delay in realisation of benefits from the project, apart from likely increase in the cost of the project,” said Mr Jain in the letter.
He also asked the State Government to abandon the idea of pre-closure and re-tendering and said that it will be kept in abeyance until the Government of India takes a view in the matter.