The Bombay High Court on Friday pulled up the two contractors roped in by the Maharashtra government to install CCTV cameras in all the police stations across the state, for the delay in implementing the project.
A bench of Justices Shahrukh Kathawalla and Milind Jadhav had earlier this week asked the two contractors - Javi Systems India Pvt Ltd. from Bengaluru and Sujata Computers from Pune - to personally explain the delay for installing CCTVs in all the police stations, across the state.
Notably, as per the agreement between the two contractors and the state government, the entire project was to be completed within a period of 22 weeks from the date of the contract, which was finalised in November 2020. The work should have had completed by April this year. However, the two contractors had sought additional 16 weeks time to complete the project since there were some issues which were resolved only in January this year, from when the work resumed.
On Friday, Javi group appeared before the judges and apprised them of the fact that the two contractors have completed around 65 per cent of the project and that the pending would be completed within a short span of time.
State advocate general Ashutosh Kumbhakoni, pointed out the fact that the state selected the two contractors, especially Javi, which had carried out a similar city surveillance project for Delhi.
“It should be noted that it is because of their high-quality cameras, the police in Delhi could identify the accused in the Delhi riots case,” AG Kumbhakoni highlighted.
At this, the judges sought to know as to why the state did not choose Larsen and Toubro (L & T) - the company that has installed CCTVs for the city traffic police.
Responding to the query, the advocate general said that it is a bit 'awkward' but the L & T wasn't keen to take up a project worth Rs 65 crore, which was far too less for it and it considered the same to be 'paan bidi shop work.'
To this, Justice Kathawalla replied, “We aren't having any issued with regards to the budget. We don't really care whether it is a Rs 65 crore or Rs 650 crore project. Our only concern is that the project must be completed within the stipulated time and that the orders of the Supreme Court must be implemented in letter and spirit.”
The judges also expressed dissatisfaction over the manner in which the state considered the two contractors apart from the 13 others, who had participated in the tender process.
The bench has adjourned the hearing till March 15 with a directive to the contractors to file an undertaking spelling out exactly by when would it complete the work.
