Rs 135-crore tender cancelled: Trust issues Rs 112-crore retender to design and develop museums, exhibitions in Sabarmati Ashram

The fresh tender has been issued for selection of a design-build-operate-transfer (DBOT) agency for curation, content development, exhibit fabrication and outdoor sculpture works for the Gandhi ashram,  which is being developed as a memorial.

Earlier, the trust had issued a tender of around Rs 135 crore for the similar tasks to select a DBOT agency. However, it was cancelled by the MGSAMT authorities. Official sources had said that the tender was cancelled after realising that it would not be possible to fairly evaluate bids received under the conditions of the tender.

The latest tender was issued earlier this month and will be open for bid till November 6.

Speaking to The Indian Express, a senior official connected with the development said, “We have issued a retender while making certain changes from the designing and building point of view. With that, the total estimated cost of the tender has also been lowered from earlier around Rs 135 crore to around Rs 112 crore.”

The original tender was issued in June and ended in July. Four parties had submitted bids for the tender and three of them qualified. However, later the tender was cancelled and the bidding parties were returned their Earnest Money Deposit.

Top sources said that unlike the previous tender, in the latest tender the authorities have specified certain designing parts including the modes of communication to be employed in it. The new tender has also restricted the digital element part in the whole exercise to 30 per cent while making two live demonstrations at the redeveloped ashram campus compulsory.

These live demonstrations could include spinning a wheel and making a cotton wick. Under the new tender, certain parts of the ashram campus have been excluded from the designing part while one building has been added, taking the number of such buildings to 23.

Some of the 23 buildings where museums and exhibitions will be developed include 10 Oradi, Rangshala, Kutumb Niwas, Saat Oradi, Jamna Kutir, Junu Rasodu, Somnath Chhatralay, Imam Manzil, Ashram Shala, Udyog Mandir, Sardar Kutir, Dehla Puni Kendra and Bal Mandir.

Apart from designing and the execution part of the tender, the selected agency will be responsible for its maintenance for five years.

Sources also said that earlier it was decided to split the original tender into two, but all aspects have been covered in the retender.

The project is being jointly implemented by the Central and Gujarat governments. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel is the chairperson of the governing council of the MGSAMT whereas retired IAS officer I P Gautam is the chairperson of its executive council.