THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Despite stiff opposition from civil contractors, the PWD has implemented the ‘composite tender’ system to ensure timely completion of construction of government buildings. The PWD has already awarded contracts to execute works on various government buildings under the system.
In a composite tender, civil and electrical works are tendered simultaneously to ensure that projects are completed on time. When a new tender for electrical work is called after the completion of civil work, it results in long delays.
Earlier, the government contractors had filed a plea in the High Court against the state government’s move to float composite tenders without bifurcating the civil and electrical components of the work. However, the High Court ruled in favour of the state government. Though several contractors deliberately tried to sabotage the system many times, the state government has finally implemented it. The concept of composite tender was introduced in 2008 by the V S Achuthanandan-led LDF government.
In his Facebook post on Monday, Public Works Minister P A Mohamed Riyas said by implementing the composite tender system, electrical work can be started at an early stage of construction and unnecessary demolition and related works can be avoided. “The new system will help improve quality and reduce construction costs. Over the years, successive governments had tried to introduce the system, but it didn’t materialise. The High Court has also upheld the composite tender system. So we can resolve the long-standing issue by implementing the new system,” Riyas said in the post.
12 projects have been tendered through the new system in Thiruvananthapuram, 21 in Kollam, six in Pathanamthitta, 11 in Alappuzha, four each in Kottayam and Idukki, two in Ernakulam, 13 in Kozhikode, nine in Kannur and six in Kasaragod.