Mumbai : There was outrage among corporators in the civic body’s standing committee meeting as opposition leaders claimed that the administration had yet again used the more-expensive ‘rate contracts’ in place of e-tenders to acquire 16 marble-top round tables.
However, the administration asserted that it had issued tenders for the purchase and it was not a case of rate contract.
Manoj Kotak, leader of the BJP in the civic body, said: “It looked like the administration had issued no tenders for these items. However, when we questioned them about this, we were told that e-tenders have been issued twice for this procurement.” He informed that a normal tendering process was carried out using ‘rate contract’ section.
Usually any administrative body needs to shell out more money in case of a rate contract, than the items would cost in the market. The project cost the BMC Rs 1.5 crore, but it does not specify whether it is a rate contract.
Pravin Chedda, Congress leader in the BMC, said: “The administration clarified that this is not the case of a rate contract. However, the contract has been issued under section 736, which is allotted to rate contracts.”
Besides, corporators also alleged that the contractor who has been awarded the contract had “caused trouble” several times in the previous year. They asked the administration to explain the basis on which the contract was issued to him again.
