Hindustan Times: Pune: Sunday, 02 April 2023.
Pune Municipal Corporation awarded a contract worth ?6 crore to a blacklisted contractor, UR facility, for cleaning work at Ahmednagar Road ward office, despite being prohibited from bidding due to substandard work during the 2022 monsoon period. The civic body had blacklisted UR facility for six months and imposed a fine for negligence. The contractor challenged the order in court and was given relief. Civic activist Prashant Rankhambe procured the information under the Right to Information Act, which revealed that the contractor managed to bid for cleaning work despite being blacklisted for road work.
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has offered a contract to a blacklisted contractor who was prohibited from participating in bidding process due to the inferior work during the monsoon period.
During 2022 monsoon, the civic body had initiated action against 13 contractors for substandard quality work across 17 roads.
The Ahmednagar Road ward office has allotted a contract to private firm UR facility worth ₹6 crore for cleaning work at ward office level in the first week of January.
During 2022 monsoon, the civic body had initiated action against 13 contractors for substandard quality work across 17 roads. UR facility is among those contractors. Municipal Commissioner Vikram Kumar blacklisted these contractors for six months and imposed a fine for negligence. As per the order, the contractor could apply for a tender only after March 31, 2023; however, UR facility was given the contract in January.
Uday Rane, owner of UR facility said, “It is true that our service was blacklisted, however, we challenged the PMC order and the court has given us relief. Our firm was blacklisted from December 2022 till July 2022. I applied for tender after that.”
Civic activist Prashant Rankhambe procured the information under Right to Information (RTI) Act which revealed that the contractor which was blacklisted for road work managed to bid for cleaning work. “The Ahmednagar Road ward office issued the contract to UR facility in the first week of January. How can the PMC allot a tender to a blacklisted contractor?,” he said.
Ahmednagar Road ward officer Namdev Bajbalkar said, “I have received a complaint letter from one of the social activists. UR facility’s tenders are approved in standing committee and general body meetings. The ward office did not get any communication about the contractor being blacklisted.”
Bajbalkar took charge of Ahmednagar Road ward office one month ago. “As per my knowledge, most of the contractors are getting work from all ward offices and main buildings. Also, the UR facility did not carry out any road related work in Ahmednagar Road wards office area,” he said.
PMC official from the tender cell requesting anonymity said, “If the contractor is blacklisted, he is not able to get online access to the tender. After 2019, online tender work has been decentralised. The name of contractors and of blacklisted order copy will be circulated to all ward offices and concerned departments.”
Sudhir Kulkarni, a civic activist said, “The PMC must take a firm decision to award a tender to a contractor who was blacklisted for some other work. If ward offices are claiming that they haven’t received any order or list of blacklisted contractors. I think, corporation’s action was eyewash to show Puneities.”
Contractors blacklisted
In 2022, the PMC appointed a third-party organisation- Engineers India Ltd to inspect 139 roads after residents complained of potholes and bad road conditions. Committee had recommended blacklisting of the contractors for one year while the sub-engineer and branch engineer were punished with a fine of ₹10,000 each or withholding of one salary increment. However, the commissioner Kumar reduced the period of blacklisting to six months, while the officers have been fined ₹15,000.
Pune Municipal Corporation awarded a contract worth ?6 crore to a blacklisted contractor, UR facility, for cleaning work at Ahmednagar Road ward office, despite being prohibited from bidding due to substandard work during the 2022 monsoon period. The civic body had blacklisted UR facility for six months and imposed a fine for negligence. The contractor challenged the order in court and was given relief. Civic activist Prashant Rankhambe procured the information under the Right to Information Act, which revealed that the contractor managed to bid for cleaning work despite being blacklisted for road work.
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has offered a contract to a blacklisted contractor who was prohibited from participating in bidding process due to the inferior work during the monsoon period.
During 2022 monsoon, the civic body had initiated action against 13 contractors for substandard quality work across 17 roads.
The Ahmednagar Road ward office has allotted a contract to private firm UR facility worth ₹6 crore for cleaning work at ward office level in the first week of January.
During 2022 monsoon, the civic body had initiated action against 13 contractors for substandard quality work across 17 roads. UR facility is among those contractors. Municipal Commissioner Vikram Kumar blacklisted these contractors for six months and imposed a fine for negligence. As per the order, the contractor could apply for a tender only after March 31, 2023; however, UR facility was given the contract in January.
Uday Rane, owner of UR facility said, “It is true that our service was blacklisted, however, we challenged the PMC order and the court has given us relief. Our firm was blacklisted from December 2022 till July 2022. I applied for tender after that.”
Civic activist Prashant Rankhambe procured the information under Right to Information (RTI) Act which revealed that the contractor which was blacklisted for road work managed to bid for cleaning work. “The Ahmednagar Road ward office issued the contract to UR facility in the first week of January. How can the PMC allot a tender to a blacklisted contractor?,” he said.
Ahmednagar Road ward officer Namdev Bajbalkar said, “I have received a complaint letter from one of the social activists. UR facility’s tenders are approved in standing committee and general body meetings. The ward office did not get any communication about the contractor being blacklisted.”
Bajbalkar took charge of Ahmednagar Road ward office one month ago. “As per my knowledge, most of the contractors are getting work from all ward offices and main buildings. Also, the UR facility did not carry out any road related work in Ahmednagar Road wards office area,” he said.
PMC official from the tender cell requesting anonymity said, “If the contractor is blacklisted, he is not able to get online access to the tender. After 2019, online tender work has been decentralised. The name of contractors and of blacklisted order copy will be circulated to all ward offices and concerned departments.”
Sudhir Kulkarni, a civic activist said, “The PMC must take a firm decision to award a tender to a contractor who was blacklisted for some other work. If ward offices are claiming that they haven’t received any order or list of blacklisted contractors. I think, corporation’s action was eyewash to show Puneities.”
Contractors blacklisted
In 2022, the PMC appointed a third-party organisation- Engineers India Ltd to inspect 139 roads after residents complained of potholes and bad road conditions. Committee had recommended blacklisting of the contractors for one year while the sub-engineer and branch engineer were punished with a fine of ₹10,000 each or withholding of one salary increment. However, the commissioner Kumar reduced the period of blacklisting to six months, while the officers have been fined ₹15,000.
.JPG)
.JPG)
