The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has slammed the City Industrial Development Corporation (Cidco) for lack of transparency while awarding tenders for the construction of a 18-hole golf course and a theme park in Navi Mumbai.

Tenders had been invited for the golf course at an estimated cost of Rs 10 crore and the scope of work comprised feature construction, supply of sand and garden soil, construction of cart path and lakes. The three firms-Continental Fairways (CF), SGDP Ltd and Sumedha Earthmovers-that applied did not fulfil the pre-qualification criteria of experience in execution of 9-hole and 18-hole golf courses. "Instead of re-tendering, tender documents were issued only to CF and the scope of work was revised. This lacked transparency. The reduction in scope of work was also not brought to the Cidco board`s notice," stated the report.
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The reason given for not re-tendering was that it would have delayed contract finalization which would have affected other contracts such as earthwork, grassing and irrigation, which had been awarded.

The CAG remarked that Cidco awarded the work on single-tender basis by changing the scope of work after inviting tenders that lacked transparency. "Moreover re-invitation of tender for main work would have not affected other contracts as the same had been awarded before the main work.``

Later, when the contractor appointed to supply river sand and crushed sand expressed inability to do so, Cidco simply changed the scope of work to supply garden soil instead. Castigating the agency, the CAG said, "The company should have terminated the contract for non-supply of crushed sand and re-invited tenders instead of changing the scope of work."

In case of the theme park, Central Park, a single tender from Klassic Construction was received, which was 94% above the estimated cost of Rs 9.57 crore. "Cidco did not re-tender and instead released Rs 1.6 crore as mobilization advance in violation of tender conditions. The work was not completed in time and only Rs 25 lakh has been recovered from the contractor instead of Rs 82 lakh. There was no detailed project report prepared and so revenue foregone could not be ascertained," the report stated.

While CIDCO claimed the delay was owing to frequent stoppage of work on account of thefts and protests by local people, the CAG report states it found no evidence of protests