SHIMLA: In a strongly-worded letter shot off to Prabodh Saxena, the Chief Secretary of the Himachal Pradesh Government, former Deputy Mayor of Shimla, Tikender Singh Panwar, has voiced strong reservations and demands probe by a SIT in the proposed award of the 24x7 Shimla Water Supply Project to a private company at an escalated cost.
The project, which holds significant importance for the capital city, has come under scrutiny for its handling by the Shimla Jal Prabandhan Nigam Limited (SJPNL), with concerns about the bidding process and potential cartelization.
Panwar, who claimed as one of the pioneers behind the conception of this project during his tenure with the Shimla Municipal Corporation, expressed dismay over the haste with which the project is being awarded to SUEZ India, a private company.
He has urged Chief Secretary to evaluate the bids, considering the substantial financial implications for the city and its residents.
The former Deputy Mayor highlighted several key points of concern:
Panwar pointed out that the bid amount from the private company for the project has significantly increased over time. The company's latest bid is reportedly 131 Crores higher than its previous bid, raising questions about the validity and justification of such a substantial price hike for the same project within a short span of six months.
With only two bidders consistently participating in the bidding process, Panwar raised concerns about the possibility of cartelization between the competing bidders.
He demanded a thorough investigation into this matter, calling for measures to prevent any collusive practices that could compromise the fairness of the bidding process.
Panwar criticized the lack of transparency in the bidding process and called for the SJPNL to provide detailed item-wise justifications for the rates proposed, aligning them with the HPPWD schedule of rates.
He stressed that taxpayers have the right to know the actual cost of the project and the potential financial burden it might impose through increased taxes or water charges.
The former Deputy Mayor urged an assessment of SJPNL's capacity to handle such a significant project, pointing out alleged mismanagement of a previous DBO project.
He insisted on a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to evaluate SJPNL's overall functioning and its track record in executing major projects.
Panwar called for immediate action to address the issues he raised, failing which he threatened to take the matter to the public and legal forums.
He stressed that while the improvement of water and sewage services in Shimla is crucial, it should not come at the expense of awarding contracts to private companies at exorbitant rates.
He demanded a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis of the bidding process to ensure transparency and accountability.
