THIRUVOTRIYUR MUNICIPALITY Contract cartel rears its ugly head

By G Saravanan
Published in The New Indian Express, Chennai, on December 10, 2010:


AN effort by the Commissionerate of Municipal Administration to check corrupt practices in vogue at Thiruvotriyur municipality in tendering processes seems to have failed in cracking the syndicate of contractors.
According to sources, the main purpose of barring the Thiruvotriyur municipality from floating tenders and shifting the whole process to the regional municipal administration department at Chengalpet three months ago for more transparency has lost after an alleged open intimidation by a politically influencial group on a neutral 
contractor who bagged Rs nine-lakh worth road contract.
The `unity' of the contract-cartel came to the fore a few days ago when the Thiruvotriyur-based neutral contractors tried to submit a bidding form at Chengalpet.


Sources said a group of people, supported by both the ruling and opposition councillors in Thiruvotriyur municipality, had allegedly intimidated the contractor for trying to break the syndicate and for participating in the tendering process for 20 different works worth Rs 70 lakhs at the eleventh hour.


Braving their intimidation, the contractor had somehow succeeded in sub mitting his bid on the last day (December 3) at the Chengalpet office. When the bids were opened in the evening, he was selected for carrying out road works for Rs nine lakh since he quoted the lowest rates.
Irked over the award of contract to the contractor, the same group of persons had allegedly started threatening him to `surrender' the work orders to some other contractor linked to their cartel.


Unable to deal with the repeated `advices' by the influential group, the contractor on Wednesday met the Commissioner of Thiruvotriyur municipality S Kalaiselvan and handed over a letter withdrawing his bid.


However, sources said the top official reportedly told him to complete the work, as there were no provisions to withdraw bid once it was awarded to someone. 
The cartel's ugly head reared again at Thiruvotriyur municipality office within a few days on Wednesday, when the same group once again intimidated the contractor for securing the work well on the premises of the civic body.
According to a neutral contractor who wished anonymity, the corrupt practices at the civic body were continuing unabated and the shifting of tendering process to Chengalpet for more transparency has not yielded any desired result.