Question marks over PWD’s MLA Hostel tenders

Nagpur: Question marks are being raised over the huge difference in rates at which division number 1 of the Public Works Department (PWD) awarded bids for quarantine centre works at MLA Hostel. The works awarded through e-tenders were as much as 60% below the estimate, while the emergency tenders were awarded at rates fixed by the department.
Activist Anil Wadpalliwar has alleged that the emergency tenders were awarded at inflated rates. “How can the same work be performed at a 60% or 40% lower cost when e-tenders were called? Such huge difference shows that government suffered a loss in the emergency works,” he told TOI.
PWD executive engineer (EE) Janardhan Bhanuse refuted all allegations. “Most of the emergency works were awarded to VD Constructions, whose proprietor is Deepak Dandekar. Later, Dandekar got only one work through e-tenders. He then complained to senior Shiv Sena leader Gajanan Kirtikar that I had misused my powers in awarding emergency tenders. How can the beneficiary complain of wrongdoing? I have started the process of blacklisting him,” he said.
Bhanuse further said that the emergency tenders were floated as per standard estimated rates. “What can I do if Dandekar did not agree to work at lower than estimated rates and later, others agreed to,” he added.
The EE said that the period of the tender was four or six weeks, but he had asked the contractors to do the job for three months for the same amount. Dandekar, however, denied this.
District collector Ravindra Thakare had asked PWD to convert MLA Hostel into a quarantine centre on March 12. Bhanuse floated the tenders on the same day and work orders were issued the next day.
The works included providing anti-bacterial sanitization with sodium hypochlorite, supply of cleaning mop, cleaning liquid, nylon rope, waste disposal bags etc, and providing services of skilled and unskilled workers for quarantined patients.
Division number 1 has earlier been in controversy over tenders floated for renovation of MLA Hostel, Ravi Bhavan and Nag Bhavan. Large number of engineers from the division were suspended some years ago by Nagpur bench of Bombay high court while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL).