Mumbai: MPCC General Secretary and Spokesman Sachin Sawant, addressing a press conference in Mumbai, said that Congress in the press meets held on August 26 and 29, 2019, had exposed tender management racket by Fadnavis Government. The party had exposed CIDCO’s Rs 14,000 crore tender scam in Prime Minister’s Awas Yojana and Aarey Colony’s Metro Bhavan tender scam. Earlier, Congress had exposed scam in Shiv Smarak tender process by Fadnavis Government. “Now, a probe by Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has supported the allegations the Congress had made in connection with the scam in the memorial work. Similarly, the CAG has termed the complaint of Congress regarding scam in Metro Bhavan tender process. All this has exposed the tender management racket by Fadnavis Government,” Sawant asserted adding a detailed probe in the matter will expose the “corrupt” face of the BJP.
The MPCC spokesperson further said that during Fadnavis Government tenure, rules were being tweaked and tenders for big projects were being floated. Tender management racket was being operated and “favoured” contractors were awarded works. “We had exposed links between contract works in Rs 14,000 crore PMAY and Metro Bhavan contract. Congress had alleged tendering scams in the proposed Metro Bhavan in Mumbai as well as construction of 90,000 houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. The houses under the PMAY are being built by state-run planning agency City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO),” Sawant said adding specific contractors have benefitted from the deliberate change in terms and conditions of the tenders.
Sawant further said that he had submitted the complaint to the PMO along with relevant documents to prove the irregularities. Specific contractors have benefitted from the deliberate change in terms and conditions of the tenders. He said a high-level inquiry was required to the uncover the truth.
“The project is being planned for Taloja at Navi Mumbai, Bamandongri, Juinagar, Kharghar, Panvel, Kharkopar and Kalamboli. Of the 90,000 flats, 53,000 units will be constructed under the economically-weaker sections (EWS) and 37,000 in the lower-income group (LIG) categories. The project is being implemented by the CIDCO at Navi Mumbai. The Mantralaya has been converted into a den of tender management and all care has been taken that only those companies, who are close to the ruling parties, will get the tenders.
PMAY tender corruption is related to the Metro Bhavan construction scam too,” Sawant said in a press conference at the Congress office in Mumbai on Thursday.
CIDCO has proposed to build 89,771 houses in neighbouring Navi Mumbai under the scheme and PM Modi had performed a bhumi pujan before the LS poll in Dombivli, he said.
In the first tender meeting, the CIDCO chief engineer, said it was proposed to be divided into 8-9 components, Sawant said. But in the second meeting, “surprising changes” were made in the tender conditions at the pretext of attracting big players, and the project was divided into four components, he alleged. “In the third meeting, the components were revised in such a way each will cost Rs3,500 crore. Instead of allowing many players to bid for the contract, the government ensured the conditions were amended to favour four crony contractors,” he said.
When the Congress leader sought information on the tender process, a fifth contractor was asked to bid to make it look like a fair process, he claimed. However, his application was cancelled and later was compensated by giving him the Metro Rail Bhavan project.
