Tainted contractor stays in race for MCG tender.

Updated On, 18 April 2012: GURGAON: The chances of the "tainted" sanitation contractor getting the contract got brighter when the technical bid was opened on Tuesday. Out of five agencies that bid for the tender, one was disqualified, leaving only four in the race for the four municipal zones, Balaji Security Services being one of them.Despite mounting pressure on the MCG to blacklist this agency, the authorities have failed to do so. However, a couple of weeks ago, the Municipal Corporation of Faridabad (MCF) had delisted this agency after receiving many complaints against it. It also forfeited the security amount of Rs 5 lakh.

"Balaji Security Services started sanitation work in the Ballabhgarh zone in October last year and almost immediately we started getting complaints that he was not doing any work. It was a big setback for us since we selected him after floating a global tender. On record he claimed that he would engage 650 sanitation workers but the ground reality was very different," said a senior MCG official.

"It was then that we formed a committee which decided to terminate his contract and delist the agency, whereby the contractor can never do any work in the MCF. We also forfeited the security amount of Rs 5 lakh he had deposited with us and also did not release his payment for the past three months," he added.

It would be interesting to see if the MCG commissioner does follow the example set by the MCF. All the 35 MCG councillors have already submitted an affidavit to the financial commissioner (urban local bodies) to blacklist this agency. Talking to TOI on Tuesday, financial commissioner Ram Niwas said he would look into the matter. "I am not aware that Balaji Secuirty Services is a one of the shortlisted agencies for the sanitation contract in an MCG area. I will certainly look into the matter and formulate the necessary steps to be taken."

According to sources, the fact that only five agencies came forward and applied for the tender indicates that contractors have lost faith in the MCG owing to its delay in releasing the payment.The MCG is in the process of assessing the technical bids and in a couple of days will hold the financial bid after which the sanitation contract will be awarded.