Ahmedabad AMC to Procure ₹3.70 Crore Road Marking Paint Without Tender After Annual Stock Runs Out in Nine Months
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Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) is preparing to procure an additional 4.54 lakh kg of thermoplastic road marking paint worth ₹3.70 crore from its existing contractor, Polymer Coatings, without issuing a fresh tender, after exhausting its annual stock in just nine months.
The civic body had procured 9.09 lakh kg of thermoplastic paint worth ₹7.40 crore for a one-year period. However, the entire stock was reportedly consumed within nine months, prompting plans for an additional purchase.
The proposed procurement has raised questions over the corporation's road-marking requirements, repeated expenditure on selected routes and its decision to approach the existing contractor without a fresh tender.
₹7.40 Crore Annual Stock Exhausted in Nine Months
Thermoplastic paint is used to create road markings such as lane dividers, zebra crossings and other traffic indicators. The material is designed to withstand exposure to sunlight and rain while retaining its reflective properties.
According to the information provided, the paint used for road markings can have a lifespan of up to five years. Despite this, AMC reportedly exhausted its stock of 9.09 lakh kg, originally intended to last a year, within nine months.
The corporation is now planning to procure another 4.54 lakh kg from Polymer Coatings at an estimated cost of ₹3.70 crore.
Repeated Markings on VIP Routes Raise Questions
The use of thermoplastic paint has also come under scrutiny because of the frequency of road-marking work on selected routes.
While several older roads and even some newly developed stretches in Ahmedabad reportedly lack proper lane markings, fresh markings are frequently applied on VIP routes, including roads near the airport and in Shahibaug.
The repeated application of markings on certain stretches has raised questions about whether the material is being used efficiently, particularly when thermoplastic markings are designed to remain effective for several years.
The contrast between poorly marked roads in several parts of the city and repeated work on prominent routes has added to concerns over the corporation's spending priorities.
₹3.70 Crore Procurement Planned Without Fresh Tender
The additional purchase is proposed to be made from the existing contractor, Polymer Coatings, without inviting fresh tenders.
Generally, contracts above prescribed financial thresholds require a tendering process, while additions or modifications to existing contracts are permitted only within specified limits.
However, the corporation has faced criticism over instances in which contracts for various works are reportedly continued or awarded to previous contractors even after the original agreements have expired, without following a fresh tender process.
The proposed thermoplastic paint procurement has once again brought the issue of transparency in AMC's contract allocation and expenditure under scrutiny.
