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Oppn leader alleges irregularities in ₹8K cr ambulance tender
Maharashtra leader of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar said, the tender has allegedly been floated violating norms and should be scrapped by the government.
Maharashtra leader of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar, on Saturday, alleged serious irregularities in the ambulance tender process of the state health department. He said, the tender has allegedly been floated violating norms and should be scrapped by the government.
The Joint Director of Health Services (procurement cell), Mumbai, floated the tender for ambulance service on January 4, 2024, on (PPP-DBFOT hybrid model). The duration of the bid closed at 2pm on Saturday(January 13) and the bid will open on Monday. The tender period is for ten years and it will cost around ₹8,000 crores for ten years. The ambulances will be deployed for the Maharashtra Emergency Medical Services (MEMS) Project-2024.
Wadettiwar, alleged, there are serious irregularities in the tender process floated for 10 years for 108 ambulance services of the state.
“The tender was issued with a notice period of seven days which is not as per the norms. The amount is unnecessarily augmented and even if any experts check it won’t cost more than ₹4,000 crores. No tender for providing an ambulance can be for more than three years. However, the minister of the health department floated the tender by threatening the transfer of an IAS officer,” he alleged.
He, further, said the issue would be raised with the chief minister and two deputy chief ministers of Maharashtra to cancel the tender.
“This is a move to siphon public money worth ₹4,000 crores and allot the tender to their close relatives,” he alleged.
Vijay Kumbhar, vice-president of state Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and activist, who tweeted about the issue on Friday, said, the tender issued was not as per the norms and the protocol was not followed.
“The ambulance tender was earlier issued in September and was scrapped. Later, the same tender has been floated by making few changes in it,” he said.
Kumbhar, alleged, as per the norms a pre-bid meeting should be done but it was not done by the health department.
“The short period of seven days is not possible and such a short period cannot be given for tender bid. The tender was not made public and only published on the website of the health department. The process has been done by considering some selective parties,” he said.
Despite repeated attempts, health minister, Tanaji Sawant, was unavailable for comment.
