Agartala, September 02, 2019 : Tripura assembly today witnessed heated exchanges over the alleged irregularities in finalizing the tender for fly-over from AD Nagar police line to Melarmath and Fire Brigade chaumuhuni. The deputy leader of the opposition and former minister for PWD Badal Chowdhury replied to queries effectively but became emotional over repeated interruptions of his reply by the deputy speaker Biswa Bandhu Sen . Finally the leader of the opposition Manik Sarkar and sitting MLA and former education minister Tapan Chakraborty persuaded veteran Badal Chowdhury to keep his composure.
Before that in reply to a matter of urgent public importance raised by BJP MLA Sudhangshu Das on the basis of a local newspaper report, the chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb who also holds the PWD portfolio dwelt on the issue in detail. The chief minister pointed out that two tenders had been floated from reputed private contractors as well as from PSUs with rates above 10% of estimated cost . But the irregularity happened because the tenders had been opened on different dates and the private contractors could know the rates quoted by the PSUs.
Later on the thirteen tenders were clubbed together as a package with a project cost of Rs 638.80 crores which was 35.73% above the initially estimated cost. This was not also referred to the cabinet decision taken at that time.Besides, the earlier decision of giving 10% value above the estimated cost had not either been approved by the state cabinet. Even though the work advisory committee was aware of the matter and approved it the cabinet was in the dark. Deb said that after all this had come to the notice of the present government the matter had been ordered to be inquired into vigilance.
Replying to the statement Badal Chowdhury said that he had been called by the vigilance authority and told them that he would appear whenever summoned . Chowdhury said that he was not in possession of all government papers which are so old but asserted that no irregularity , as claimed , had happened. At this when the deputy speaker in chair Biswa Bandhu Sen tried to interrupt him repeatedly Badal became emotional and said that he had a very long political career and clean record in public life and he was prepared to co-operate in any inquiry by the vigilance or any authority. Even though some members in the treasury bench tried to banter him , Badal kept his natural cool and finally leader of the opposition Manik Sarkar and veteran CPI (M) MLA Tapan Chakraborty persuaded him. (Courtesy: Tripurainfo)
