the goan I network
PANAJI
Quoting tender documents which have no scope for diversion of traffic along Verna-Cortalim highway, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday alleged that Ministers and MLAs from Goa are going out of the scope of the contract agreement to favour Dilip Buildcon, whose promoter it alleged is close to the BJP.
Briefing the media AAP Convenor Elvis Gomes said the requirement to divert traffic was not at all part of any bidding proceedings that led to Dilip Buildcon bagging the contract and it was only brought in now to help the contractor at great hardships to the people of the state.
Gomes said, as per the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract between the central agency, Ministry of Roads and Highways, Delhi, and Contractor Dilip Buildcon, the contractor has to do all necessary arrangement including parallel good condition way during construction once a land is given to the
contractor.
He also informed that 1.46 per cent of the tender cost is given to the contractor for making alternate arrangement of traffic during construction work.
“Execution of a tender work is confined to clauses of the agreement. If conditions of works are sought to be modified, it will be a huge injustice to the other unsuccessful bidders,” said Gomes.
He further added that there is no clause which imposes any obligation on Alina Saldanha or the group of ministers to do anything in the matter. If they are talking to farmers, it is in violation of the tender conditions and makes them interested parties before the Court.
Gomes said that the Goa PWD officers at Panaji and Margao had no details of the tender and were admittedly working as ‘postmen’ as the entire contract was between ministry of Road Transport and Highways and Dilip Buildcon.
He alleged that millions of cubic meters of excavated earth belonging to the government was reportedly diverted without any Revenue to the State. He also alleged destruction of environment and questioned the manner in which hill cutting had been done making it prone to landslides.
Gomes also said that there was no transparency in the huge land allotted by IDC to the contractor to open a fabrication yard at Verna and also the land occupied at Zuari bridge thus facilitating the award of tender to Dilip Buildcon at 31 per cent below the estimated cost of 607 crore. He advised Cortalim MLA Alina Saldhana to go through contract document before taking land of people on behalf of contractors.
Edwin Mascarenhas explained in detail how important clauses in the agreement were being flouted to favour the contractor who he alleged was known to be
close to the BJP.
