Nagpur – In a controversial development, a petition has been filed in the High Court alleging irregularities in the tender process for setting up a solar power system at the SABV Botanical Garden in Visapur, Chandrapur. The petitioner, Samruddhi Infra Projects, claims that the original tender procedure was altered midway to unfairly award the project to a Thane-based company.
After hearing the plea, the High Court issued notices to the Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) and Urja Infrastructure Company, asking them to respond by June 25.
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07 july 2025
According to the petitioner, the DCF had initially invited bids for installing a 0.8 MW solar photovoltaic system under the RESCO (Renewable Energy Service Company) model for a 20-year period at the botanical garden. The tender was reportedly progressing until a sudden change in procedure led to the contract being awarded to Urja Infrastructure, bypassing due process.
Blacklisted Company Awarded the Project
In a significant allegation, the petitioner stated that despite being invited for negotiations on April 16, 2025, and requesting an allotment letter afterward, the authorities abruptly issued a new tender. Later, the petitioner was informed that Urja Infrastructure Company had been declared the successful bidder.
Crucially, the petitioner pointed out that Urja Infrastructure was blacklisted by the Maharashtra Energy Development Agency (MEDA) on October 16, 2023, making it ineligible for such contracts. Despite this, the company was still selected.
The court, taking both sides’ arguments into account, not only issued notices but also emphasized that if the DCF intends to issue a work order to Urja Infrastructure, it must seriously consider the blacklisting status of the company.
