Garden of Eden - 1 Laying it on thick
You need to have an imagination for what I am about to reveal, and imagination you have. You just gotta to have it in Goa. Imagine just how little it would take to renovate a garden of 570 sq m. Then imagine, your government is currently spending Rs 1,59,68,204.24 to renovate it because of the Panjim MLA Manohar Parrikar. Now after this colossal figure was conjured and configured, the imagination (this time) of the planners in government went into overdrive. For those who live deep south or up north, the garden is at Rua De Ourem, at Panjim's old entrance and exit road. This once popular area of Panjim is now used by pedestrians to exit and enter the KTC bus stand. Nothing more! This is how the garden deal unfurled. On 24 April 2008 the scheduled date of opening the tender, there were no responses for the first call though two bidders, one who came from Mumbai; bought tenders forms. They were My Associates of Andheri (W) Mumbai and Bhella Constuctions of Ponda. At the next call, two bidders purchased the tender forms: My Associates (again) and A. Ponnuraj of Panjim. Now, why would My Associates try a second time when it refused to bid the first time despite buying the tender forms? Beats me. Beyond Reasonable Doubt On 5 May 2008 the scheduled day of the second call, A. Ponnuraj was disqualified as his EMD (earnest money deposit) was not submitted as per rules. Surprise, surprise! We have here an experienced contractor (the rule states a contractor must completed pre-specified high-worth jobs in the last 5 yrs) who appears incapable of completing a mere EMD formality! This time however My Associates after appearing to be reluctant the first time, quoted Rs 2,00,63,649.50. The figure brought down 2.5 % by the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) to Rs 1,95,62,058. It was however still 68.48% higher than the GSIDC estimated cost of Rs 1,16,10,674 and 39.24% above the reasonable (of GSIDC again) amount of Rs 1,40,48,719.97. If you have not comprehended this jargon, estimated cost is what the GSIDC knows is the estimated cost going by market calculations. Reasonable cost, I guess is, if the contractor is unreasonable enough to quote above the estimated, it requires GSIDC to be reasonable and make unreasonable look reasonable. Remember, I warned you to wear your imagination cap before you read this. So, don't blame me, if this sounds weird. It is. As a result, My Associates' bid was rejected because it was too high. Beyond The Call Of Duty Now, this is where your imagination truly gets stretched like India rubber. In response to the third call, A. Ponnuraj made a second comeback. This time however KG Thomas of Panjim and New Park Sun Gardens of Mahim, Mumbai join the game. But on the scheduled day of the opening 28 May 2008, mysteriously only KG Thomas bids. Does this not stretch your imagination? You have Mumbai's My Associates who drops by twice (1st & 2nd call) but does not bid the first time. The second time, it bids so high, it is bound to be rejected. Then you have A. Ponnuraj who buys the tender forms twice (2nd & 3rd call) makes a silly (tactical perhaps?) error the first call, then does not bid at the 3rd call. You would think Ponnuraj would want to make amends. No? Finally, you have New Park Sun Gardens from Mumbai who suddenly enters the field at the fag end (3rd call) but does not bid. Not to mention Bhella Constructions, who apparently didn't want to play ball at all. The Games Begin The tactical maneuvering done, KG Thomas waltzes into the scene, and there's a chest full of silver dollars to be dug out of the garden. The only bidder left now is him. He bids Rs 1,72,62,923.50, then agrees to negotiate his quote despite being the only bidder left in the arena. Blows my mind away! So, he reduces his bid by 7.5 % and his quote is now Rs 1,59,68,204.24. The negotiated offer is 9.94% above the reasonable amount of Rs 1,45,24,697.48 and 37.53% above the estimated cost put to tender (pun not intended) that is Rs 1,16,10,674. This makes GSIDC really pleased because it promptly claims the offer made in the third call is Rs 35,93,854 (Rs 1,95,62,058 minus Rs 1,59,68,204) lesser than the offer it received in the second call. Do make a note also that GSIDC's reasonable amount has by now risen from Rs 1,40,48,719.97 to Rs 1,45,24,697.48. It doesn't end here. (Feedback: 6658606, [EMAIL PROTECTED]) Garden of Eden - II The Main Opera Last week you read of Rs 1,59,68,204 being spent to renovate the existing footpath that none uses because it is on the creek side of Rua De Ourem in Panjim; and also the existing garden or so-called garden. Nobody walks on that side because each and every building or public utility is on the other side and as a result protects pedestrians from the sun. It therefore makes no sense renovating that side. What should surprise you even is the fact that GSIDC did not think it was necessary to consult the Town and Country Planning Department. Because it says there was no building construction involved. It just went ahead on a whim. Earlier, Garden of Eden -1 explained how an entire charade was enacted to appoint a contractor. The actors were a Mumbai contractor who, the first time bought tender forms, but did not bid. There were two reluctant bidders in fact. The second time he tendered so high, he was bound to be rejected, which happened, forcing a third call. At the second call also, a Panjim contractor came on stage, made sure his bid was faulty and was rejected. At the third and final call, the same error- prone Panjim contractor, another Mumbai contractor and the eventual winner KG Thomas all bought tender forms, but only Thomas bid. The stage was set for the main opera. You say you suspect the other actors perhaps didn't exist? You could be right, you know. Only, there's also a modern word for it – cartelization. Duct to nowhere So, why would anybody want to spend so much money? It's like this. There is really no garden. There never was. It's all about spending money somehow and there's opportunity here. The entire project was cleverly divided into two parts. One part almost entirely consists of laying a duct to accommodate telecommunication cables of the various agencies. The duct could in future house electrical cables, broadband cables etc. The width of the duct varies from 1.2 to 1.7 mt depending on space availability. The duct is being built with concrete walls with moveable slabs made of glass fibre, reinforced concrete to cover it. The total length of the duct is 870 mt. Looks impressive on paper. But, at both ends of the duct, the cables emerging from it will be exposed (for eternity perhaps?) as they are everywhere else in Panjim. Because, the CCP has bigger problems confronting it, with very little spending money in the kitty. Costly experiment The GSIDC engineer I spoke to could not explain (no fault of his) the linkage of this duct with all such cables running through Panjim. He opined that the duct could be used as a model for laying other ducts elsewhere in Panjim. Yeah, right! Problem is, this experiment is costing you Rs 77 lakh. Or Rs 8850.57 per running meter. That's a lot for 870 mt worth of gain. GSIDC also said maintenance would be transferred to the CCP and it was up to them to maintain or prepare a model for maintenance. No wonder the GSIDC did not involve the Town and Country Planning Department (see Garden of Eden-1.) But, it made sure it got the CCP's NOC for this. GSIDC also did not appoint a consultant and drew up the proposal and plan itself. Clever! In the Congress' wisdom, this would fall in the category of its much 'beloved word' development.' You of course would be right if you wondered why this money was not spent in constructing even a single sub-way for Panjim so you could cross a busy road without fear of a hands-free driver crushing you. BTW a hands-free driver is one who holds his mobile in the right hand, gesticulates with his left trying to explain to himself what the listener can't understand, all the while thinking his vehicle is on auto drive. This strange syndrome, the thinking is, afflicts only men, and its intensity increases proportionately with the length and breadth of each corner or curve in the road. Nobody as yet knows why. Do read next week and discover how the rest of the moneys is being spent and there still won't be a garden. (Next week: Garden of Eden -111 and last) (Feedback: 6658606, [EMAIL PROTECTED])
