Srinagar: In a recent development, a joint delegation of contractors from the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Division Bijbehara has expressed significant apprehensions regarding the recent modifications in the Notice Inviting Tender (NIT) for this year’s Yatra.
The alterations, they claim, have sparked concerns about favoritism and transparency in the process.
Riyaz Ahmad Dar, a prominent contractor among the delegation, highlighted the inclusion of an additional Compulsory Deposit Receipt (CDR) security deposit in the revised notice. He voiced suspicions that this amendment might be tailored to benefit certain favored contractors, thus raising questions about the fairness of the selection process.
Adding to the chorus of concerns, another contractor, Arshid Hussain Shah, emphasized the issue of providing drinking water supply to Yatris. Shah argued that the allocation of this responsibility should be fairly distributed among contractors assigned to Pony Wallas, emphasizing the importance of equitable distribution and fair opportunities.
Furthermore, Gowher Ahmad Bhat, another contractor in the delegation, shed light on an alleged incident involving the Exin of PHE Division Bijbehara and his team. Bhat claimed that favored contractors had invited the Exin and his team for a dinner, with the feast prepared within the premises of the Government-owned PHE department. This act, according to Bhat, constitutes a violation of the model code of conduct, raising concerns about ethical practices within the department.
However, when reached for comment, Exin PHE Sareer Ahmad dismissed these allegations, labeling them as baseless. Despite this rebuttal, the concerns raised by the delegation underscore the need for thorough scrutiny and transparency in the tendering process for the Yatra, ensuring fairness and accountability in the allocation of contracts and resources.
