the goan I network
PANAJI
The Congress on Tuesday alleged that the state government has spent Rs 45 crore on the lighting of the new Mandovi Bridge, Atal Setu, fraudulently.
Producing documents obtained under RTI, Congress president Girish Chodankar alleged that the new Mandovi bridge was completed after a lot of corruption, and said that the Congress would approach the Lokayukta with regards to the corruption undertaken by the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC).
Chodankar, while addressing the press at a press conference in the Congress headquarters, said that the costs of all the electrical works of the new bridge including the poles, fittings, facade lights and decorative lights were supposed to have been undertaken by the GSIDC according to the contract of the new bridge which was signed in 2014.
However, the electrical works were not tendered at that time due to constant changes in technology. Later, in subsequent “review meetings” headed by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, it was decided that the GSIDC would not buy the necessary fittings, but the same would be bought by Larsen and Toubro (L&T), the contractors for the bridge. The government allowed L&T to buy the fixtures without following protocol, said the Congress chief, adding that the cost of one electricity pole and fixtures on the new bridge came to a whooping Rs 3.5 lakh.
“This decision has cost the state, and the public, several extra crores of ruppees, the total amounting to Rs 45.71 crore,” said Chodankar, adding that the government was not making clear the proposed cost of these works in order to add to the “well-planned confusion.”
“The GSIDC should have tendered these works, but instead a consultant M/s SN Bhobe did so, citing that Parrikar allowed this as per a “review meeting” held in April 2017,” said Chodankar.
Chodankar also alleged that the person who benefited from the new outcome of this “review meeting” was a relative of the CM. In the absence of the GSIDC purchasing the necessary electrical requirements, this middle man made a 15% commission, which could have been saved, said Chodankar.
The Congress will pursue the matter in the Lokayukta, Chodankar informed. However, they have given the MD of GSIDC Srinet Kothwale, a time period of eight to ten days within which to set the situation right and let the GSIDC buy these fittings as per the original contract.
GSIDC denies Congress’ corruption allegation about 3rd Mandovi bridge
PANAJI: When contacted, MD of GSIDC Srinet Kotwale told ‘The Goan’ that the information being given out by the Congress was not correct and that the cost of Rs 45 crore was the cost for lighting of all three bridges, and not Atal Setu alone. The cost was the cost of 552 polls, and the entire amount has not yet been spent, he said. As of now, only Rs 20 crore have been spent on the 165 poles of the new bridge.
