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BHUBANESWAR: Gross irregularities and nepotism have been found in an OPTCL project for expediting industrialisation in the Paradip Zone, alleged the Odisha Power Transmission Corporation Limited (OPTCL) Contractors Association on Friday.
In a Press release, the association said the irregularities were found in a recent tender floated by the OPTCL for an important and urgent project for construction of 2×500 MVA, 400/220 KV GIS Sub-Station at Ersama.
According to the association, the project has to be completed by 2023 to provide power supply to the upcoming industries like Triveni, JSW and petrochemicals in the Paradip industrial area to overcome the present power scarcity.
“Bidding and tender guidelines have been blatantly violated to favour the BHEL that has resulted in a loss of Rs 10 crore”, alleged OPTCL Contractors Association president Amiya Kanta Das, urging the authority to investigate the matter implementing the 5T policy.
The association alleged that during March 2021, OPTCL had floated a tender for construction of 2×500 MVA, 400/220 KV GIS Sub-Station at Ersama and 400 KV Bay Extension work at New Duburi and two lines to 220 KV Grid S/S at Pratapsasan and New Duburi with a common qualifying Criteria vide e-tender notice no. CPC-36/2020-21 having three packages of total estimated cost of R.600 crore [in which State Government has 40% funding]. Out of which two packages have already been awarded to L1 bidders.
Regarding the 3rd package of above tender related to 400 KV GIS Substation at Ersama, eight bidders participated in this package. Out of which, two bidders the BHEL and. TBEA was disqualified for being techno commercially non-responsive.
“In spite of getting the legal view in favour of cancellation of the BHEL’s bid and getting lowest price of Rs 200.63 crore as L1 bid, the Board had cancelled the said complete evaluated tender and asked for re-tender showing the reason that the OPTCL may get lesser price from the earlier finalised RA value of Rs 200.63 crore,” said Das.
On the basis of the above decision of the Board, Package-3 has been re-tendered by the OPTCL during January’2022 with revised estimated value of Rs 200.31 crore without changing the earlier floated tender condition. In this tender the earlier disqualified bidder BHEL has been techno commercially qualified and became L1 bidder with quoted value of Rs.210.45 crore, the association alleged.
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