BDA violating tender norms, say contractors

BDA violating tender norms, say contractors
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bangalore: What started as a representation to the BDA against alleged violation of tender norms in the framing of a contract, has now turned into a protest against the arrest of 17 members of the Local Bodies Electrical Contractors’ Association.
At a press conference on Thursday, the association expressed unhappiness about the ugly turn of events and blamed
the BDA for having accused them on false grounds. Regarding their peaceful representation at the BDA office on December 22, they said: “We were there only to get an answer to a previous representation on the contract terms,’’ association president Sridhar told The Times of India. The members had approached a senior BDA official to seek a response to their representation. They were arrested in front of the official’s room after he complained to Seshadripuram police.
BDA floated a tender on November 17 for street light works in five constituencies. The work was to be completed in six months. Sridhar said the value was way beyond the norms set for the work. “Considering the vast area to be covered by a single contractor per constituency, the association made a representation to the BDA. One of the demands was to divide the contract into smaller packages of Rs 50 lakh each to enable speedy work,” he said.