CHENNAI: Ahmedabad-based CEPT Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) has been selected as the consultant to review the Town and Country Planning Act on April 20 last year. However, the selection has raised eyebrows as it was allegedly done by relaxing the tender norms.
According to the G.O. accessed by TNIE, which was passed on April 20, 2022, CEPT Research and Development Foundation was appointed as a consultant by providing exemption under Section 16 (bb) of Tamil Nadu Tender Transparency Act (2nd amendment), 2018 by former housing secretary Hitesh Kumar Makwana.
The G.O. states the state government would pay the sum of `43.21 lakhs, including GST for reviewing the Town and Country Planning Act. However, this excludes flight trips, hotel stays, meals and incidental expenses during the 26-week deadline for the completion of the project.
Under 16bb of the Act, the exemption is given to service, other than operations and maintenance, project or facility management, supervision, supply of manpower, outsourcing of tasks, leasing of machinery, equipment or vehicles and insurance, in any particular instance of procurement declared by the government by notification, upon the recommendation of a committee comprising housing secretary, secretary of finance or his representative, the chief executive officer or the head of the procuring entity, a technical representative of the procuring entity and a representative from a reputed academic or research institution or non-commercial institution having expertise in the field.
The G.O. is silent on the members of the committee who decided on awarding the contract to CEPT. The committee observed CEPT Research and Development Foundation has high credentials and the cost is reasonable, the G.O. states.
The fund is sanctioned from the Town and Country Planning Development Fund and the expenses for hotel, flights and other expenses will be born by CMDA. CEPT Research and Development Foundation is also involved in reviewing Tamil Nadu Combined Development and Building Rules and Transit Oriented Development (ToD) for Anna Salai. On some of the projects for which CEPT is awarded consultancy work, the services of CMDA employees are being utilised and it is not clear if it has been mentioned in the MoU with CEPT.
Former TN planners said when there is local expertise available, what is the need to go in for a Gujarat-based agency which is not competent enough. When TNIE brought this to the notice of Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority Minister PK Sekar Babu, he said he will look into the issue. Housing Minister S Muthusamy could not be reached.