CCTV project tender: AAP rejects Maken’s allegation

NEW DELHI: Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken alleged on Monday that the tender for AAP government’s Rs 571.40-crore CCTV project was cleared by PWD without taking cabinet approval. AAP dismissed the allegations as “frivolous” and accused Maken of working as the B-team of the opposition BJP. Under its CCTV project, the state government wants to install 1.4 lakh cameras across the city.
“In October 2015, cabinet approval was given for a Rs 130-crore project to install CCTV cameras in Delhi for which a tender was floated. Two companies participated in the bids and one company won it. The bid was cancelled and later the cost of the project spiked to Rs 571.40 crore and the conditions of the tender were diluted. And even before the project was approved by the cabinet, bids were invited and tenders were finalised by the PWD which points towards a scam,” alleged Maken.

He claimed that on April 5 this year, the expenditure finance committee, headed by deputy CM Manish Sisodia, decided that the CCTV project will be put before the cabinet with a detailed action plan. Maken questioned the rationale behind inviting RFP (request for proposal) and the PWD finalizing the tender without the project getting the sanction of the competent authority. According to the minutes of EFC, Maken claimed, 44% of the project cost (Rs 571.40 crore) was set aside for maintenance of the cameras without explaining the procedure for maintenance.

Countering Maken’s allegations, AAP’s Delhi chief spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj said: “The conditions of the second tender were relaxed to encourage more competition. In both tenders, there were two bidders – BEL and L&T. BEL, a government public sector undertaking, was the lowest bidder and won the tender. There is no question of corruption.”

Replying to Maken’s other charge, Bharadwaj said: “It was a rate contract where the companies had to bid for the project. The department concerned is competent to float a tender for rate contract. A cabinet note is required before the award of the work and it will be taken before the work is awarded.” The government plans to bring the project before the cabinet soon. He said initially the cost was low because it did not include the cost of maintenance, insurance and the SIM cards which need to be inserted into the cameras.

Alleging that the allegations of Maken were politically motivated, Bharadwaj said: “Whenever the AAP government is working for a public welfare scheme, BJP create hurdles through IAS officers and the LG. After LG has exhausted all of his delaying tactics, Maken jumps in with some frivolous complaints. It's their modus operandi. Delhi Congress is Team B of BJP.”