AP CM directs RTC to refer tender for AC buses deployment for

: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy has directed the State Road Transport Corporation to refer the tender it floated for deployment of 350 AC electric buses for judicial scrutiny following charges that the government was seeking to favour a particular company in awarding the contract.

Transport Minister Perni Venkataramaiah (Nani) confirmed that the electric bus tender was being referred for judicial scrutiny.

The APSRTC invited bids in September for deployment of 350 AC electric buses on Gross Cost Contract (GCC) basis under Phase-II of Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid&) Electric Vehicles (FAME) in India scheme.

The contract period is 12 years, during which the RTC will run the buses on hire, duly availing the demand incentive from Department of Heavy Industry (GoI) under FAME-2.

The RTC planned to deploy 50 buses on the Tirupati-Tirumala ghat route, 100 each in Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam and 50 each in Kakinada and Amaravati, to be run on various routes in the respective regions.

The financial bids were supposed to be opened on November 1 and reverse tendering be conducted on November 6 as per the original schedule.

Official sources said the process would now be delayed by several days as the tender has to be put up online seeking suggestions and objections, if any, from the public for a week.

Following adverse reports in a section of the media and also allegations levelled by some opposition parties that the government was seeking to favour a particular company in the award of the contract, the Chief Minister directed the RTC to put up the tender for statutory judicial scrutiny as per the Andhra Pradesh Infrastructure (Transparency through Judicial Preview) Act, 2019.

As per the Act, the judge is required to place the tender related documents, referred for a judicial preview, in public domain for a week and invite suggestions from the public.

In eight days thereafter, the tender document will be previewed.

After a discussion with the government or the corporation concerned and its examination, the judge may suggest such modifications as may be required, which will be binding under the legislation.

Though officials reportedly contended that the tender for electric buses was floated much before the judicial srutiny judge assumed charge, the Chief Minister insisted that it nevertheless be put up for scrutiny to ensure transparency.