CAG report on Shivaji memorial: Congress demands re-tendering, blames BJP govt for SC stay order

Congress has demanded re-tendering for the construction of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Memorial (CSMM) in the Arabian Sea, which has currently been stayed by

Congress has demanded re-tendering for the construction of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Memorial (CSMM) in the Arabian Sea, which has currently been stayed by the Supreme Court (SC).

HT Image

An audit report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) pointed out numerous irregularities in the tendering process, following which the Congress slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which was in power for the past five years, and have questioned if the party wanted the stay on the memorial.

Congress general secretary and spokesperson, Sachin Sawant, while addressing a press conference on Monday, said that the project is mired in serious irregularities and violation of the norms, and needs a thorough investigation

“There are serious findings recorded by the CAG in its report submitted in October after its examination of the Shivaji Memorial in April and May this year. To reduce the bidding price, the department changed the specifications of the bidding, which is a violation of the norms fixed by the Central Vigilance Commission. The work order was issued twice in four days in September 2018, without the consent of the high power committee appointed to oversee the construction of the project,” Sawant said.

“The change in the specification and the decision to hand over part of the responsibility of the project management consultant to the contractor resulted in a benefit of ₹9.61 crore to the consultant and additional cost of construction of ₹20.57 crore to the contractor,” the Congress spokesperson said.

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has also called for a probe of the alleged irregularities and said that strict action will be taken against those found guilty.

Former public works department minister Chandrakant Patil refuted all allegations of corruption and instead claimed that it was not the Devendra Fadnavis-government but the current one which was looking for a reason to stall the project.

“Our government negotiated with the bidder to bring the cost down to ₹2,500 crore from ₹3,600 crore. Our government had not released a single penny to the contractor. How can Maha Vikas Aghadi leaders accuse us of corruption?” he said.