The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Councillors, contractors in cahoots?

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 22, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Councillors, contractors in cahoots?

Karthik Subramanian

Tender-fixing allegations made Officials confirmed they had received complaints regarding manipulation of tenders

CHENNAI : The issue of councillors forming syndicates with contractors to corner the Chennai Corporation's tenders for road works has once again surfaced in the civic body.

On Tuesday, complaints and counter allegations were made about a section of AIADMK councillors of Kilpauk zone who were trying to wield influence over road tenders worth Rs. 61 lakh.

By afternoon, some ruling party councillors, including Zone V chairman S. Thirugnanasoundari, S. Bhavani Shankar, S. Ameerbasha, Jeevadinan and K. Neduncheziyan, were seen on the alley behind the main building issuing instructions to several persons.

They stayed on till the tenders were being received for the road works at the ground floor of the Ripon Buildings.

Though several persons who visited the civic headquarters confirmed they saw Ms. Thirugnanasoundari and other councillors, the zonal chairman herself denied in the evening that she even entered the premises.

Investigation

Corporation officials confirmed that they had received some complaints regarding manipulation of tenders and said they would investigate the issue.

Officials and the civic body insiders say that only a month back, tenders for several road works were cancelled over complaints of manipulation.

An official, on condition of anonymity, said: "Manipulation became very clear at the time of opening the bids itself. Barring the tender of the `favoured' candidate, all the other bids are consistently `minus' tenders quoting rates below the estimated amount."

Chennai Corporation has been relaying roads in several parts of the city after the floods last year. But in some cases the works have been delayed because of manipulation of tenders.

Major changes

More than three years ago, when the issue of manipulation of tenders was extensively reported by the media, Chennai Corporation carried out major changes in the way it received tender applications.

As a first step, it centralised the tendering process for all works and brought it to Ripon Buildings. It also started videographing the tender rooms to prevent anyone from physically stopping people from participating in the tender process. Several councillors had opposed the move but the changes were carried out nevertheless.

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