The Madras High Court on Tuesday issued notice to Municipal Administration and Rural Development Minister S. P. Velumani based on a PIL petition filed by Arappor Iyakkam, an NGO, alleging violation of rules and procedures in the award of tenders by the Greater Chennai Corporation for laying roads on bus routes and constructing stormwater drains in the city during 2018-19.
Justices M. Sathyanarayanan and R. Hemalatha also restrained the DVAC from taking a final decision until further orders.On a preliminary inquiry being conducted on the basis of a complaint lodged by Jayaram Venkatesan, the Managing Trustee of the NGO, on November 1, 2018 seeking criminal action against all officials involved in the irregularities.
In an affidavit, filed through its counsel V. Suresh, the NGO alleged rigging, tender fixing, collusion, cartelisation of contractors, award of tenders at very high costs than market rates and award of tenders for laying and repairing roads that were already in good condition. Claiming to have lodged a complaint even before award of contracts, the petitioner said, that the civic body still went ahead and allocated work.
The consequence was that apart from unjust enrichment of the contractors, there was also a serious possibility of sub standard work being done, it claimed.
