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Journalism of Courage
The Andhra Pradesh government on Monday awarded the Polavaram project contract to Megha Engineering and Infrastructures Limited (MEIL), the sole bidder, after the YSR Congress government had decided to go for re-tendering.
The government claimed it saved Rs 780 crore by calling for fresh tenders for the Polavaram project, which includes the hydel power plant and main concrete works worth Rs 4,987 crore.
MEIL came up with a proposal costing 12.6 per cent less than that of an earlier contractor Navayuga Engineering Company Ltd (NECL). MEIL bid Rs 4,358 crore for the works, which is Rs 628 crore less than NECL’s quote which had been awarded the contract by the previous Telugu Desam Party government.
“Additional saving of Rs152 crore has been realised in the hydro-electric project” said state Irrigation Minister P Anil Kumar.
The project’s chief engineer (CE) had earlier informed the Irrigation and Water Resources Department that to conduct the reverse tender process, at least two bidders were required.
As only one bidder had participated, there was no provision for initiating the reverse tendering process.
