Shillong Nov 16: A High Powered Committee headed by Assembly Speaker Abu Taher Mondal on Thursday cancelled the tender for construction of a new Assembly building and decided to float a fresh tender.
According to Mondal, the firm which quoted the lowest bid could not justify whether it could complete the work within the quoted value, which led to cancellation of the tender.
Mondal said that the HPC has decided to ask the Meghalaya PWD (Buildings) to float a fresh tender at the earliest possible for the construction of the new Assembly building at Mawdiangdiang.
Three companies – Shapoorji Pallonji Co. & Ltd., Simplex Infrastructure Ltd and Shree Gautam Infrastructure Co Ltd – were selected after technical evaluation.
Mondal said that though Shree Gautam Infrastructure Co Ltd emerged as the lowest bidder, but the firm has quoted 15.01 per cent less than the bid value of Rs. 105 crore.
Shapoorji Pallonji Co. & Ltd. quoted 29.92 percent more than the bid value, and Simplex Infrastructure quoted 21.90 percent more than bid value.
The Speaker said that PWD officials found that the firm (lowest bidder) would not be able to complete the project at a low bidding cost, adding that there is some apprehensions that even if the firm can complete the work at the low bidding cost, the quality of work might not be there.
Meghalaya has no Assembly building of its own ever since the old Assembly building at Khyndai Lad was reduced ashes by fire on January 9, 2001.