Club PWD works so as not to avoid e-tendering, govt directs

To prevent bypassing of e-tender procedure, Maharashtra Public Works Department today asked the officials to club work orders so that total expenditure amount is Rs three lakh or above, and it qualifies for e-tender procedure.
In November 2014, the government directed that PWD contracts for the work worth Rs 3 lakh and above must be given through e-tender, so as to ensure transparency and prevent formation of cartels of contractors.
But PWD officials, in connivance with contractors, were seen splitting high-value works into smaller works to get around the mandatory e-tender procedure.
A government resolution issued today directed the PWD officials to club various repair and maintenance works so that cumulative expenditure is above Rs three lakh.

If a road along with a bridge on the route is to be repaired, both works should be clubbed, the GR said.
In case of repair of multi-storied building, the total cost of the tender should be above Rs 20 lakh, the GR stated.

There has been a great rise in instances of splitting of repair and maintenance works so that local committee of officers can exercise their power of assigning the work to local contractors, the GR noted.
This has affected the quality of repair and maintenance work and reduced transparency, it said.
The annual budget of state PWD department is around Rs 6,000 crore.