Tripura government's routine drinking
water supply project for 2005-06 has been delayed on account of re-invitation of
bids for key supplies.
According to information received from
Tripura government's public works department, tenders for supply of ERW pipes
were re-invited in April 2006 following the cancellation of the original bidding
process initiated in May 2005. This has resulted in considerable delay in
executing various drinking water supply projects that aimed to benefit some half
a million persons.
Elaborating on the situation, Tripura
PWD officials stated that one Delhi-based company, Good Luck Steel Tubes, had
qualified for the bids invited in May 2005. The tender could not progress due to
last-minute disagreement about the pricing and other technical specifications.
In the new tenders floated, bidding for which closed on 28 April 2006, four
entities are frontrunners. The list includes Howrah-based Jindal India,
Kolkata-based Gajajan Tubes, AST Pipes Pvt Ltd of Ghaziabad, besides Good Luck
Steel Tubes that has re-bid for the project.
The tender was for the procurement of
ERW pipes worth Rs.5 crore. The Tripura government annually constructs 100 deep
water tube wells across the state. Each well costs around Rs.50 lakh and
benefits some 5,000 people. A typical tube well project takes seven months for
completion, according to government estimates.
prjexcl