CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has temporarily stayed the award of tender and work order issuance by the police department to a private firm for laying synthetic tracks at Rajarathnam Stadium in Chennai.
Justice M Dhandapani granted the interim stay while hearing the petition filed by Advanced Sports Ltd against the selection process in the tender valued at Rs 12 crores issued by the Tamil Nadu Police Housing Corporation Limited.
He directed Additional Advocate General P Kumaresan, appearing for the police, to file a status report on the work carried out by the respondent company in Meghalaya in two weeks and adjourned the hearing to September 18.
The petition challenged the selection of Michezo Sports Infrastructure Pvt Ltd on the ground of its disqualification. Senior counsel Abdul Saleem, appearing for Advanced Sports, submitted that the selected bidder had not fulfilled four major tender conditions, which required the bidder to be a prime contractor and not a sub-contractor.
He also contended that the selected bidder had executed a synthetic track at Wahiajer Multi Sport Complex, Meghalaya, in 2023 and the same being substandard had worn out within two years.
Since Rajarathnam Stadium is used by the police for training and schools for sports activities, if the work is substandard it will affect such activities and cause loss to the public exchequer, the petitioner said.