Housing Board outsourced Gym/Health Club community Hall measuring 4500 Sqft each and Park, Sector-1 Channi Himmat falling under category “A Class” construction at Rs 16.11 lacs annually after spending nearly 4 crores on infrastructure when as per revised rent rates for valuation of structure under category “A Class” becomes minimum Rs 35 lacs

Dy General Manager, Housing Board Unit Ist Channi Himmat didn’t advertised through Information Deptt e-tender notice ,E-NIT No. 34 of 2023-24 dated 25-9-2023 for outsourcing Gym/Health Club community Hall and Park by Dy General Manager Housing Board with proposed amount of Rs 18 lacs annually excluding GST and all other applicable taxes which could not be matured for reasons best known to Housing Board and floated another e-tender, E-NIT No.41 of 2023-24 dated 28-10-2023 but this time with lowered cost of Rs 16.lacs excluding GST and other applicable taxes and kept rest of terms and conditions altogether same which is questionable and investigable
GY CORRESPONDENT
jammu, dec 22
In order to utilize spare time for exercise and walks utilizing the recreational parks and recreation- cum-health centre , the foundation stone was laid at Channi Himmat, Sector-1, by then Minister Raman Bhalla dated 28-9-2013. In the year 2013-2014, the Housing Board incurred 53.28 lacs for construction of ground floor phase-1st of recreation cum health centre. However remaining construction remained in limbo till 16-8-2022 when Managing Director J&K Housing Board was written by Executive Engineer JMC, Division-V Jammu over upgradation of indoor gym and balance work of construction of community hall along with landscaping of adjoining park in Ward-5o Channi Himmat Jammu. Accordingly Housing Board handed over the Project to JMC for rest of construction after providing details of construction done by it. JMC in this regard floated e-tender worth Rs 3.58 crores vide E-NIT No. 71 of 2021-22 dated 15-2-2022 by Executive Engineer(V) Jammu Municipal Corporation under category “A Class” of construction. Accordingly the above mentioned work was allotted to M/S Suresh Kumar s/o Karam Chand worth Rs 30430100 after the tender was widely publicized in Print Media through Information Department. Accordingly two story community hall covering 450 Sqm (4500 Sqft) area constructed, indoor Gym constructed covering 450 Sqm (4500 Sqft) each floor under category “A Class” of construction. Besides flooring –vitrified/matt/wooden, false ceiling aluminum work, bathrooms male and female also constructed. Moreover with regard to Gym equipments(Fitness Crest) including chest press, seated leg curl, leg/calf raise, decline bench press, shoulder press, flat bench press, incline bench press, recumbent, upright bike, plate rock, thermo polyurethane dumbbells Pec Fly/Rear delt Lat pull down/vertical flow Olympic bars costing worth lacs were in addition to total cost of tender. Moreover a park worth crores was also established taking total cost to nearly morethan Rs 4 crores. It deserves mentioning here that after completion of Gym, community hall and park, the fully ready structure was again handed over to Housing Board dated 1-9-2023 by Jammu Smart City Ltd`. Consequent upon this Housing Board floated e-tender notice ,E-NIT No. 34 of 2023-24 dated 25-9-2023 for outsourcing Gym/Health Club community Hall and Park by Dy General Manager Housing Board with proposed amount of Rs 18 lacs annually excluding GST and all other applicable taxes for initially three years. However this tender could not be matured for reasons best known to Housing Board. As a result of which Housing Board floated another e-tender,E-NIT No.41 of 2023-24 dated 28-10-2023 but this time with lowered cost of Rs 16.lacs excluding GST and other applicable taxes and kept rest of terms and conditions altogether same. It deserves mentioning here that both these tenders were not advertised through proper channel that is govt nodal agency the Information department through which every govt E- tender is advertised in the printed media and hence the same were not published in print media and conveniently superseding Govt Circular No. 22 JK(GAD) of 2023 dated 1-8-2023 asking all govt departments and public sector undertakings to ensure every govt advts through Information Department. Anyhow outsourcing Gym/Health Club community Hall and Park was allotted to one Nitin Sharma s/o Chaman Lal Sharma vide No.HU/I/1786-90 dated 14-11-2023 at an cost of 16.11 lacs yearly excluding GST and other applicable taxes with 10% escalation after every year. It was shocking to note that why Housing Board by the Deputy General Manager unit Ist Channi Himmat Jammu did outsourcing at such a lower price when as per revision of rates for valuation of structures/rest assessment of private building under occupation of Govt departments of Jammu District, the minimum rent keeping in view the infrastructure allotted for outsourcing would have been minimum Rs 35 lacs in Channi Himmat area as per market value as the infrastructure being falling under Category “A Class” causing serious loss to Govt exchequer. The same is vindicated through letter of Chief Engineer PWD(R&B) Department Jammu vide No. CE/DB/7529-35 Dated 15-06-2023. In light of above the present case deserves fair and fast investigation why at first instance the tender was not advertised through Information department and not published in print media and also why yearly rent was quoted much lower than market place especially category “A” infrastructure in question and caused serious loss to govt exchequer.