AMC’s alarming pattern: Blacklisted company gets new contract
Updated: Oct 31st, 2023
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| AMC Lakes (img: Flickr, File) |
Palanpur bridge collapse that took the lives of two on Oct 22, while still under construction, was the result of the recklessness by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) authorities who gave away the contract to a blacklisted company. If caution is not taken, a threat looms large over Amdavadis too.
Heading to a similar pathway is the AMC, which has allotted a management consulting contract to a company blacklisted in 2022 over sub-par quality work.
Sketchy past
A city-based company, Green Design & Engineering, signed a contract with the AMC, to manage the lakes of Ahmedabad.
However, the company was allegedly blacklisted last year for carrying out malpractice in road resurfacing work in Sardarnagar area.
The company was contractually appointed to resurface the stretch from Sardarnagar’s Maruti bungalows to Ranmukteshwar Mandir.
Following the low-quality outcome of the work, the zonal vigilance department submitted a report to the AMC. Over this, the company was then subjugated to be blacklisted for a year.
New contract allotted to blacklisted company
This company has now been given a contract by the AMC for management consultancy for connecting the city’s lakes with the Narmada Canal.
The connecting lakes would include the city’s Kali Lake, Chainpur Lake, Chandlodia Lake, and one more lake.
Hatkeshwar bridge contractors to build in Bharuch
Ajay Infra Engineering, which constructed Ahmedabad’s infamous Hatkeshwar bridge, has now again been contractually hired to build an elevated bridge in Bharuch from the city’s ABC circle to Sherpura for ₹420 cr.
Low-quality materials used in constructing the Hatkeshwar bridge saw cracks develop even before its inauguration. Ajay Infra was given ₹50 cr for the bridge construction, but because they used low-quality materials, the bridge was never left open for public use.
Following a complaint against the director and poor quality of work, the demolition of a part of the bridge was also recently decided.
