THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The All-Kerala Government Contractors Association has urged the government to revoke the decision to award public works to the tune of Rs1,000 crore to Uralungal Labour Contract Cooperative Society (ULCCS) without following the tender proceedings.
Addressing a news conference here on Wednesday, AKGCA general secretary Sunny Chennikara said that the works were awarded to ULCCS at twice the rate fixed for public works. Those included Hill Highway-Vallithodu Road (Rs237 crore), Nadukani-Parappanangadi Road (Rs450 crore), Kozhikode-Thondayad over-bridge (Rs59 crore) and Ramanattukara overbridge (Rs85 crore).
“The work on the Nadukani-Parappanangadi Road, estimated at Rs100 crore, has been awarded for Rs450 crore. The work on overbridges, which is estimated at Rs20 crore, has been given to ULCCS for Rs100 crore. Moreover, 20 to 30 per cent of the estimate is given to the society as advance,” Chennikara said.
He added that the society was awarded work at exorbitant rates at a time when government contractors were made to wait for over two years to get payment for completed works.
Refuting the charges, ULCCS president Paleri Ramesan said the society had been accredited by the government for carrying out public works.
“The government has entrusted many works to the society due to the speed and quality of the works. The Kozhikode NH bypass, one of our major projects, which was estimated to be completed in 28 months was completed in a record time of 16 months due to the efficiency of ULCCS. The decision to award the said works were collectively taken by the Cabinet,” Ramesan said.