Thiruvananthapuram corporation (File)
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Finally, the Smart City project for the city Corporation is on track with the civic body deciding to ink a pact with IPE Global, the project management consultant of Thiruvananthapuram Smart city project on Monday. The much-awaited project was delayed after former consultant Wadia Techno Engineering Services Ltd ran into controversy.
The company which bagged the project was blacklisted for irregularities in its previous projects with the Assam government and the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL). Later, the Corporation decided to select the second bidder, IPE Global to avoid further delay.
According to Corporation sources, the Special Purpose Vehicle formed by it had overcome all the hurdles in the selection of a project management consultancy by selecting the consortium led by IPE global. The agreement is to be signed in the Mayor’s chamber at the Corporation office at 2.30 pm.
For signing the contract, the Corporation sought a bank guarantee equivalent to 10 per cent of the bid cost, learned to be Rs 27.16 crore.IPE Global which earlier won the bid for the Kochi Smart City project will be asked to submit a report within the first month of the signing of the contract. The agency will also be entrusted with project management and supervision of the projects.
In the tender process, Wadia Engineering quoted a figure of Rs 27.16 crore, while IPE Global quoted Rs 27.77 crore and Mahindra Rs 27.96 crore. The Smart City officers came to know about the blacklisting of the company only after the bids which opened in February. Over the past two months, the officers had conducted a hearing with officials of Wadia Engineering and also sought the opinion of the Law Department on how to proceed with the consultancy selection.
IPE Global is a New Delhi based development consultancy group providing technical assistance in developing countries. The group partners with multilateral and bilateral agencies, governments, corporates and not-for-profit entities in anchoring development agenda for equitable development and sustainable growth.
