THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The legal tussle between various entities over the tendering process to start a new shooting academy has rendered the National Games Shooting Range useless for local shooters. Also, the delays have threatened the upkeep of imported Swiss equipment which has to used and serviced regularly.
Troubles started earlier this year, after the sports department invited bids from organisations who wanted to start a new academy and manage the range here. A consortium formed by Thiruvananthapuram district shooting association and Delhi based Top Gun company bagged the contract. The other bidder, a foundation run by Olympic shooter Gagan Narang lost the race.
However, different entities including various district shooting associations moved the high court as Top Gun Company’s name was allegedly not mentioned during the bidding process. A parallel campaign wanted the government to run the range on its own without charging massive fees.
“Top Gun offered to pay the government Rs 1.5 lakh rent every month to run the academy that incurs an expenditure of at least Rs 4.5 lakh every month to the public exchequer. Gagan Narang’s company in their bid quoted just Rs 1 lakh. Since the department had no expertise in running the range we wanted a handover that could save us from losses,” said a senior officials.
Sources said that a high court judgement had ratified the e-tendering process. However, the bottleneck is likely to continue as the opposite side may approach a higher court against Top Gun and district association. The fees for shooting practice can help the academy in the upkeep of the range. During championships, the entry fee from shooters helps to maintain the range.
“The air conditioners here are connected in a series because they have to clear the ill effects of lead particles that are emitted during practice. So anyway it is very expensive to maintain it and will not bring massive profits,” a district shooting association official said.
