Public money amounting Rs 58 crore saved in Polavaram project reverse tender: Andhra CM

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy government has saved public money amounting to Rs 58 crore in Polavaram reverse tendering process, CM Office said in a statement.

"A big amount of Rs 58 crore of government money have been saved in Polavaram reverse tendering process," the Chief Minister Office on Friday said in a statement.

Tenders for 65th package of Polavaram left connectivity works have been confirmed and Max Infra company has bidded the tender at 15.6 per cent less cost, it said.

Levelling allegations of corruption against former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Reddy said that the same firm has bidded the tender for excess 4.8 per cent which is another example of corruption during Telugu Desam Party's (TDP) government.

The CMO revealed that the Max infra company has secured Rs 292.02 crore of work during TDP's regime, while after YSRCP came into power the same company has secured Rs 231.47 crore worth work, adding that this proves Naidu has increased the Polavaram budget unnecessarily.

However, on Friday, Naidu had hit out at YSRCP government for re-tendering Polavaram project.

Speaking at a press conference here, Naidu had said, "It is unfortunate that Polavaram project construction works are halted. During our tenure, project works were done at a fast pace. This project would have completed within one and a half year."

"YSRCP government stopped the project. It is speaking different versions each day. It is speaking of reverse tendering. In fact, they are going for re-tendering. In the name of reverse tendering, they made it "reserve tendering" so that the bid goes to the person of their choice," he had said.

Naidu had said that the Polavaram Project Authority has spoken against reverse tendering, adding that the authorities had expressed satisfaction with the work being done.

Polavaram project is an under-construction multi-purpose national project on river Godavari in Andhra Pradesh.