JMC cancels e-tender vide e-NITJC(A) 11 of 2022-23 to accommodate Firm Urban and Rural Sanitation Club by changing eligibility criteria in fresh tender vide No.e-NIT JC(A) 20 of 2022-23 killing transparency and accountability

Participating bidders allege JMC cancelled earlier tender without any substantial reason as their choice Firm Urban and Rural Sanitation Club was failing to fulfill the required eligibilities to get the tender and after holding on this tender for more than a week citing technical reasons but floated fresh tender to accommodate Urban and Rural Sanitation Club
JMC in new tender made suitable changes including keeping annual income turnover of the registered Firm from 1.25 crores to Rs 1 crore per annum for three consecutive years. Secondly eligibility relaxed was that in new tender the vendor must have atleast 2 to 3 self owned vehicles with 8-9 cubic meter whereas in the cancelled tender the lowest vendor must own at least 4-5 self owned vehicles to accommodate Urban and Rural Sanitation Club
Bills submitted by Urban and Rural Sanitation Club bears address Shop No. 146 Channi Himmat Jammu which is non-existent and fake which has been written on Bill No.477 dated 6-6-2020 seeking payment of Rs 1165290 for offer services of seven Tippers operating for 217 days for the month of May 2022
GY CORRESPONDENT
jammu, jun 18
Over the last few years, Jammu Municipal Corporation has ensured each and every development work being undertaken within Municipal areas be at the whims and fancies of its blue eyed contractors/Firms/NGOs and not only this various high profile tenders floated in this regard were especially designed to suit terms and conditions which suits the most their choice contractors/Firms/NGOs and if under public pressure and genuine competition for effectiveness of work in hand any genuine competitor grab the contract on merit ,the same gets cancelled without any substantial grounds for cancellation and the same floated again by making suitable changes in tender so that their choice contractors/Firms/NGOs qualify the bids.
To puts the things in perspective, JMC floated a e-tender vide e-NITJC(A) 11 of 2022-23 for hiring 22 medium size tipper truck/medium size dump truck bearing capacity 25 to 30 Tonnes,8 to 9 Cubic Meter with EMD/CDR/FDR, Rs 8.00 lacs cost of tender document Rs 1000 for a period of one year for all classes along with driver, POL,GPS and repairs/maintenance of vehicles inclusive of GST and all types of taxes. The tender was uploaded in electronic format by the tendering authority on 11-11-2023. It deserves mentioning here that these Tippers were tasked to lifting the garbage, ware House collection point to dumping ground Kot Bhalwal . Among the prominent eligibilities required for participating bidders include copies of audited balance sheet of three years, Income tax return of three years, Annual income turnover of the registered firm should be minimum 1.25 crores per annum and for the last three consecutive years. There must be atleast 4-5 self owned vehicles by the lowest vendor and these 8-9 Cubic Meter vehicles must be in the name of lowest vendor in the name of Firm holder. Pre-bid meeting took place in the office of Joint Commissioner (Adam) on 19-11-2022 at1:00 Hrs. Accordingly bidders uploaded the required tender documents from 5-1-2023 onwards. The date of bidding was on 11-11-2022 to 25-11-2022 and opened on 26-11-2023 at 14:00 Hrs.
Surprisingly JMC after completion of bidding process without any substantial reason cancelled the tender as their choice Firm Urban and Rural Sanitation Club was failing to fulfill the required eligibilities to get the tender after holding on this tender for more than a week citing technical reasons but the sole objective was to accommodate Urban and Rural Sanitation Club which was earlier granted vide allotment Order No. MJ/Estt/5535-39 dated 8-1-2021 at Rs 5370 per day for supply of Trucks/Tipper 8 to10 Cubic Meter with Diesel driver and along with GPS and another allotment order vide No.MJ/Estt/5540-44 dated 8-1-2021 for supply of Truck/Tipper(6 to 8 Cubic Meter) with diesel and driver and along with GPS System.As a result of above, JMC floated fresh tender with revised terms and conditions and suitable eligibilities which suits the Urban and Rural Sanitation Club vide No.e-NIT JC(A) 20 of 2022-23. According to tender, the bidders uploaded the required tender documents from 5-1-2023 to 17-1-2023. The bids were opened on 18-1-2023.It deserves mentioning here that to accommodate Urban and rural sanitation club, JMC in new tender made suitable changes including keeping annual income turnover of the registered Firm from 1.25 crores to Rs 1 crore per annum for three consecutive years. Secondly eligibility relaxed was that in new tender the vendor must have atleast 2 to 3 self owned vehicles with 8-9 cubic meter whereas in the cancelled tender the lowest vendor must own at least 4-5 self owned vehicles.
Besides the eligibility of owning personal tippers was never ever part of any tender in this regard which was especially added in the tender cancelled and tender newly floated Accordingly allotment made in favour of M/S Urban and Rural Sanitation Club vide No.JMC/Estt/12225-31 dated 27-2-2023 for hiring of medium sized tipper Truck/Medium sized Dump Truck bearing capacity 8-9 Cubic Meter at Rs 4747 per day. However the address of this Firm has been written as Channi Himmat Jammu but this address is absolutely non-existent and absolutely fake. Moreover the bills submitted by Urban and Rural Sanitation Club bears address Shop No. 146 Channi Himmat Jammu which is non-existent and fake which is evident from the Bill No.477 dated 6-6-2020 seeking payment of Rs 1165290 for offer services of seven Tippers operating for 217 days for the month of May 2022. Worthwhile to mention here that as per Rs 4747 per day per tipper for 22 Tippers becomes an amount Rs 104134 which becomes monthly 3237454 which annually becomes nearly 4 crores.
Worthwhile to mention here that the original proprietor of M/S Urban and Rural Sanitation Club Channi Himmat is Mohinder Kumar who is present Corporator Ward-61 and now operating in his wife name Arti Devi who in partnership with one Suresh Kumar running the Firm. This is evident from the fact that a document in this regard in our possession vindicates that Arti Devi is 70% partner and Suresh Kumar only 30% partner. But surprisingly the tender documents have been signed by Suresh Kumar but not by Arti Pandita who is 70% partner. This is also one of the reasons why this Firm keeps on changing address of its office which are non-existent and fake. In the light of above, a thorough investigation should be done in this regard to investigate why earlier tender was cancelled despite completion of bidding process and why changes were made in fresh tender to accommodate Urban and Rural Sanitation Club and depriving meritorious Firms thereby killing transparency and accountability which otherwise hold no importance for JMC which always believes in Might is Right.