SAAHIL SUHAIL
Early Times Report
ANANTNAG, Mar 16: In a surprising move, the School Education Department's engineering wing has allegedly allotted the contract of constructing a school building in South Kashmir's Anantnag district to 3rd lowest bidder instead of allotting the contract to 1st lowest bidder.
John Mohammad Bhat, who during the elevation of tenders stood 1st lowest bidder, was conveyed to withdraw as the department was planning to float fresh tenders once funds are released.
"Last year, the Education Department floated tenders for the construction of a school building at Cheeniwader Bijbehara. Me and several other contractors participated in the bidding process and I offered the lowest rates for constructing the building. Accordingly I emerged 1st lowest. However later I was conveyed that Deputy Commissioner Anantnag directed the department not to execute the work till funds aren't made available," he told Early Times.
He alleged that the department played a mischief with him by conveying to him that they will float fresh tenders as and when the government will release funds for it.
"I was conveyed that the department will not take up the work because funds weren't available and accordingly they will cancel the tender and float fresh tenders when funds for it are released," he said, adding he approached the Executive Engineer of School Education Division 1st and requested him to release his CDR.
Several officials in the office Executive Engineer of School Education Division 1st declined to comment on the issue. They however confirmed that the tender for construction of five roomed double story building at Middle School Chenigund Education Zone Bijbehara, Anantnag was floated on 25-07-2020 vide No. Ref 43/ET/SSARMSA/Kmr/ of 07/2020.
"Yes, it is an old tender but we don't at the moment whether it was cancelled or put on hold," they said, adding the Executive Engineer should have floated the tenders again has lot of time had elapsed since then
Executive Engineer of School Education Division 1st , Pirzada Afaq Ahmad on being contacted said that he had put the tender on hold and not cancelled it.
"Funds weren't available so we didn't take up the work for execution and neither started the process of allotting it to the successful bidder," he said.
He said that the contractor who offered the first lowest bid voluntarily placed a request for the release of CDR.
"Contractor placed a request for the release of the CDR saying he needed money so it isn't my fault," he said, however the contractor rebutted his claim and said that he will explore all other available options if the department didn't cancel the allotment. |
