THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) is understood to have granted `tender excess' worth crores of rupees to 17 contractors for 39 civil works just before the Cabinet gave assent to the Travancore Cochin Hindu Religious Institutions (Amendment) Ordinance on Wednesday.

(`Tender excess' is given in addition to the estimated cost approved by the TDB, on grounds that additional costs have been incurred for the works.)

TDB sources told The Hindu on Monday that the excess amounts had been granted for the works which began in 2005, 2006 and also for those scheduled to begin this year.

The TDB is likely to suffer a loss of Rs.10 crore on account of this. The decision was taken in contravention of the relevant rules, anticipating that the TDB's tenure would come to an end with the promulgation of the new ordinance, sources said.

None of the works has an urgent nature and demand immediate completion. The tender excess, ranging between 17 per cent and 51 per cent, was granted without considering the nature of the work or assessing whether it was imperative to grant the excess without due consultations, sources said.

The highest award of 51 per cent was sanctioned to the contractor who took up the construction of the Cheriyanad Devaswom office, which comes under the Aranmula group.

The contractor, who has three other works under the same group, is a major beneficiary of the decision. The TDB granted 49 per cent excess for one work and 36 per cent each for the other two works.

The TDB sanctioned 51 per cent excess to the contractor who was awarded the construction of a compound wall at the Sastha Devaswom in the Changanassery group. The same contractor got 36 per cent excess for three other works. Another contractor who took five works under the North Paravur group was given 36 per cent to 38 per cent excess.

The TDB sanctioned 39 per cent excess for the construction of a tubewell at the Thakazhi Devaswom under the Ambalappuzha group. A substantial increase of 45 per cent was sanctioned to two other contractors. While one of them took three works under the Thrikkariyoor group and one in North Paravur, the other took two works each in Changanassery and North Parur and one in Kottayam.

The excess amounts were sanctioned for the construction of compound walls and new buildings, electrification and installation of CFL lamps, allegedly ignoring many other important works in various temples.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail