Thiruvananthapuram corporation to do re-tender

Thiruvananthapuram: The city corporation's first multi-level parking projects have hit an impediment with none coming forward with proposals when the tender was invited. Contractors were reportedly not happy with the rates put forward by the corporation, but the civic body will not change the rates even in the second tender invitation.

However, corporation officials are confident that the contractors will bite the same bait to be floated in 15 days. An official said that contractors have made it a practice not to participate in bids initially. "They may be waiting to find out who the other bidders are," he said.

During the pre-bid meeting, there were five contractors. But none of them submitted a proposal, said Mr V.R. Rajesh, secretary, Thiruvananthapuram Corporation Contractors' Association. An official said that one contractor had submitted a proposal, but it came late.

Unlike other public works, this calls for an expertise which many Kerala-based firms may not have. For, this structure made of fabricated steel sections will have movable parts, and only contractors specialised in this type of work can take care of it.

Proposals were invited for two projects. The first one on corporation premises will have space to park 102 cars. The corporation has fixed the cost at Rs 5.53 crore for this seven-level parking facility. The second, a six-level parking facility, is planned at Putharikkandam for which the cost has been fixed at Rs 11.83 crore. It will offer parking space to 210 cars and 240 two-wheelers. The projects will be funded using AMRUT scheme.

A third multilevel parking facility has been proposed on the premises of Government Medical Colleg, but it has not received technical sanction. While corporation officials say that when proposals are invited again in 15 days, the problem will be solved, the contractors have been talking about the Delhi Schedule of Rates being low.