ID :
199631
Sun, 08/07/2011 - 16:28
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/199631
The shortlink copeid
CAG lambastes contractor-friendly CPWD for CWG mess
New Delhi, Aug 7 (PTI) Taking a dim view of the
renovation and upgradation work carried out in various
sporting venues here for the Commonwealth Games, the
Comptroller and Auditor General of India has found that
blatant favouritism was shown to certain contractors by the
Central Public Works Department (CPWD).
It has also found deficiencies in the bidding process and
inexplicable delays in project execution by the CPWD which led
to inflated cost in carrying out the work.
The appointment of Consulting Engineering Services as the
main design consultant for five main stadia was seriously
flawed as it did not have the specific expertise in designing
stadiums, the report said.
Many concessions including extra payments were given to
contractors of the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium and Dr Shyama
Prasad Mukherjee Swimming Pool.
Deficiencies in execution of work in the construction of
the weightlifting auditorium at JLN Stadium and Kadarpur
Shooting range are being highlighted by the CAG in its latest
report.
It has pointed out that faulty methods were adopted to
inflate rates for the benefit of the vendor involving
providing chairs for VIPs and media at five venues.
However, commenting upon the CAG findings, CPWD Director
General C S Prasad said, "It is an audit point of view. It was
not an engineering report. Engineers should examine it to
ascertain whether the work is good or bad."
Prasad said, "We will be submitting a proper report with
documents after examining the CAG report."
CAG has observed that the appointment of Consulting
Engineering Services (CES) as the main design consultant for
five main stadia - Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Dr SP Mukherjee
Stadium, Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, Indira Gandhi
Stadium and Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range - was seriously
flawed.
Though CES did not directly possess specific experience
in designing sports stadia with its experience being primarily
in providing consultancy for roads and bridges, it was still
selected.
Other bidders with fairly good experiences like Mott
Macdonald which had constructed Wembley Stadium in London,
Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia and Lord's cricket
ground in London were rejected.
CAG has found that the performance of CES in consultancy
of almost all the venues was abysmal.
A centralised coordination committee chaired by Chairman
OC and including representatives from venue owners,
implementing agencies, was responsible for selection of brands
of sports surfaces.
The CAG found clear instances of favouritism and bias
shown by this committee which was largely guided by the OC in
selecting sport surfaces for athletic tracks, hockey turf and
badminton court mats.
CAG observed that numerous irregularities and relaxations
in the tendering process for different works relating to the
gymnastics stadium, hostel, media centre at IG Stadium Complex
were made to favour bidder Swadeshi Construction.
A joint tendering mechanism was put in place for
selection of agencies for laying the sports surfaces at the
venues. "We found serious deficiencies in the award of the
contract for laying of synthetic athletic track surfaces by
CPWD to Shiv Naresh Sports Ltd. The restrictive tendering
conditions resulted in a situation where the awarded rates
were much higher than comparative rates quoted for similar
works," the report said.
In the case of the Major Dhyan Chand Stadium, audit
revealed dilution of pre-qualification criteria benefiting a
particular contractor. Estimates were lowered substantially
during the tendering process to discourage big companies from
participating.
"We also found that the justified rates calculated by the
CPWD did not truly reflect the market as there was evidence of
much lower rates for components of the main work from
outsourced agencies," the CAG said.
There were inexplicable delays with re-tendering twice
along with dilution of bid criteria in award of the work of
the public address system to a firm which was found ineligible
in the first and second rounds of tendering.
The CAG found that the inflation of rates of VVIP and
media chairs procured for five stadia resulting in extra
expenditure of Rs 3.66 crore was unjustified.
There was a systematic pattern of calculations and
recalculations for inflation of rates which ultimately
benefited the vendor Superior Furnitures, the report said.
CAG also found that the area over which the synthetic
track was laid included 9,130 sq metre outside the main track
and area of final warm up and call rooms at JLN Stadium at a
cost of Rs 6.63 crore.
renovation and upgradation work carried out in various
sporting venues here for the Commonwealth Games, the
Comptroller and Auditor General of India has found that
blatant favouritism was shown to certain contractors by the
Central Public Works Department (CPWD).
It has also found deficiencies in the bidding process and
inexplicable delays in project execution by the CPWD which led
to inflated cost in carrying out the work.
The appointment of Consulting Engineering Services as the
main design consultant for five main stadia was seriously
flawed as it did not have the specific expertise in designing
stadiums, the report said.
Many concessions including extra payments were given to
contractors of the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium and Dr Shyama
Prasad Mukherjee Swimming Pool.
Deficiencies in execution of work in the construction of
the weightlifting auditorium at JLN Stadium and Kadarpur
Shooting range are being highlighted by the CAG in its latest
report.
It has pointed out that faulty methods were adopted to
inflate rates for the benefit of the vendor involving
providing chairs for VIPs and media at five venues.
However, commenting upon the CAG findings, CPWD Director
General C S Prasad said, "It is an audit point of view. It was
not an engineering report. Engineers should examine it to
ascertain whether the work is good or bad."
Prasad said, "We will be submitting a proper report with
documents after examining the CAG report."
CAG has observed that the appointment of Consulting
Engineering Services (CES) as the main design consultant for
five main stadia - Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Dr SP Mukherjee
Stadium, Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, Indira Gandhi
Stadium and Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range - was seriously
flawed.
Though CES did not directly possess specific experience
in designing sports stadia with its experience being primarily
in providing consultancy for roads and bridges, it was still
selected.
Other bidders with fairly good experiences like Mott
Macdonald which had constructed Wembley Stadium in London,
Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia and Lord's cricket
ground in London were rejected.
CAG has found that the performance of CES in consultancy
of almost all the venues was abysmal.
A centralised coordination committee chaired by Chairman
OC and including representatives from venue owners,
implementing agencies, was responsible for selection of brands
of sports surfaces.
The CAG found clear instances of favouritism and bias
shown by this committee which was largely guided by the OC in
selecting sport surfaces for athletic tracks, hockey turf and
badminton court mats.
CAG observed that numerous irregularities and relaxations
in the tendering process for different works relating to the
gymnastics stadium, hostel, media centre at IG Stadium Complex
were made to favour bidder Swadeshi Construction.
A joint tendering mechanism was put in place for
selection of agencies for laying the sports surfaces at the
venues. "We found serious deficiencies in the award of the
contract for laying of synthetic athletic track surfaces by
CPWD to Shiv Naresh Sports Ltd. The restrictive tendering
conditions resulted in a situation where the awarded rates
were much higher than comparative rates quoted for similar
works," the report said.
In the case of the Major Dhyan Chand Stadium, audit
revealed dilution of pre-qualification criteria benefiting a
particular contractor. Estimates were lowered substantially
during the tendering process to discourage big companies from
participating.
"We also found that the justified rates calculated by the
CPWD did not truly reflect the market as there was evidence of
much lower rates for components of the main work from
outsourced agencies," the CAG said.
There were inexplicable delays with re-tendering twice
along with dilution of bid criteria in award of the work of
the public address system to a firm which was found ineligible
in the first and second rounds of tendering.
The CAG found that the inflation of rates of VVIP and
media chairs procured for five stadia resulting in extra
expenditure of Rs 3.66 crore was unjustified.
There was a systematic pattern of calculations and
recalculations for inflation of rates which ultimately
benefited the vendor Superior Furnitures, the report said.
CAG also found that the area over which the synthetic
track was laid included 9,130 sq metre outside the main track
and area of final warm up and call rooms at JLN Stadium at a
cost of Rs 6.63 crore.
