Bridge tenders: Two contractors under scanner

A day after Hindustan Times reported how clauses for contracts were altered at the last-minute and sale of tenders was shut almost immediately, new details have emerged, making the contracts murkier, Kunal Purohit reports.

A day after Hindustan Times reported how clauses for contracts were altered at the last-minute and sale of tenders was shut almost immediately, new details have emerged, making the contracts murkier.

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Of the total four contractors who bagged the contract, at least two are being probed for various irregularities.

One of the contractors, Mahavir Constructions, has been accused of using inferior quality paver blocks and creating fake challans.

RPS Infraprojects allegedly circumvented civic rules and entered the fray. In addition, it also had three other companies, a joint venture between Shah and Parikh-Priti Constructions and Speco Constructions, being owned by the same family, entering the race.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) started to probe Mahavir Constructions when it found that the firm had submitted fake challans of paver blocks to hide that it was procuring cheaper quality tiles.

The second contractor, RPS Infraprojects, was demoted by the BMC in its grading system more than a year ago for its failure to complete a school construction even two years after its deadline expired. The firm, however, used its public works department (PWD) grading and bid for the contract.