In all likelihood, the Rs 4,717 crore Polavaram Indirasagar irrigation project head works might go in favour of L1 bidder Transstroy (India) Ltd-JSC Engineering Centre UES (Russia).
Though a formal decision is yet to be taken, the mood in the high places of the government appears that it was going in favour of the L1 bidder in spite of the fact that the Indian Embassy in Russia had reported that the eligibility documents submitted by the JVC were not genuine.
Chief secretary Minnie Mathew, at a high-power committee meeting on Wednesday, discussed the report submitted by a two-member engineer team which visited Russia and investigated the findings of the Indian Embassy as well as the report which the engineer-in-chief had sent on his observations of the engineers’ report which was at a little variance with report of the engineers.
The chief secretary, while studying the two reports reportedly raised several queries and finally felt that she needs to have a few more days time to come to a conclusion on what she should recommend to the chief minister.
Accordingly, the special chief secretary, irrigation Ajayendra Pyal and engineer-in-chief C Muralidhar called on chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy after the meeting was over and apprised him what has transpired at the meeting and the view of the chief secretary that she wanted some more time. As there was no recommendation from the chief secretary, the chief minister deferred his decision to a later date, sources said.
In November last year, the government finalised the price bid in favour of Transstroy (India) JSC Engineering Centre UES (Russia) JVC as it had quoted 14 less than the project cost. At that time, it was understood that the bid was clinched in favour of Transstroy JVC since it was reportedly owned by Guntur MP Rayapati Sambasiva Rao to placate him. He was very much upset for not being included in the Manmohan Singh’s cabinet when the latest expansion took place.
Six consortia participated in the bidding were: Gammon-Chirkey Gesstroy (Russia)-AMR JV, IVRCL-Farab (Iran), Madhucon-Sinohydro (China), Sew-Patel, CGGC (China)-Soma and Transstroy (India) Ltd-JSC Engineering Centre Ues (Russia).