Speed-check cameras hit road block as police, govt fight over tender

Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Source: http://www.indianexpress.com

Ahead of the Commonwealth Games, the police’s plan to put up hi-tech cameras in 18 of the Capital’s intersections has been kept on a tight leash by red tape, with the Government now asking questions about the tendering process.
Though tenders were issued eight months ago, the government asked the traffic police to issue fresh tenders as it apprehended litigation from the firm which was initially rejected. Since then this project — to install cameras that would have kept speeding in check — has been in limbo.

Global tenders were first floated on October 5, 2007. Four firms responded — Turbo Consultancy Services, Almighty Techserv, Bharat Electronics Limited and Adtech Systems. A technical inspection of their equipment was carried out by the police on January 14. The inspecting panel included police officials, professor at the Indian Institute of Technology M Jagadesh Kumar, the dean of School of Planning and Architecture Professor A K Sharma, and scientist S Velmurgan from the Central Road Research Institute.

Chennai-based Adtech Systems failed to showcase the equipment and was rejected. Turbo Consultancy Service was also overlooked for the poor quality of their supply.


The Delhi Police’s purchase committee then opened the financial bid on February 4 this year, after the technical committee nodded at the other two firms — Bharat Electronics and Turbo. Bharat Electronics Limited bid almost 22 per cent less and was given the job on February 14.
However, the government raised its first objection before the procurement process could begin on February 20. Turbo Consultancy Services had objected to the manner in which the tendering was concluded, it said. The Delhi Police asked the government the exact nature of the objection but was told to furnish a certificate which would say: “The successful bidders has met with the technical specification as mentioned in the tender and due process of tendering has been observed in the instant case.”

The police issued the certificate on March 18, but the government decided to go for re-tendering on March 31.

Since April, the file has not moved with the police, only words have been exchanged. Additional Commissioner (General Administration) R S Krishnia wrote to the government in May saying: “We can not go for re-tendering merely on the apprehension of litigation.” Police sources said each time a tender is issued, the police spends Rs 80,000 on advertisement alone.

Meanwhile, Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) has also knocked on the doors of Lieutenant Governor Tejendra Khanna. The company now plans to drag the Government to court, more so because BEL has taken delivery of the cameras from a German firm, sources said.
Till the matter is resolved, Joint Commissioner (traffic) S N Shrivastava said the police will concentrate on the intelligent traffic system — another savvy network of synchronised traffic lights, cameras etc.

Shoppers stop city
Traffic came down to a crawl on several city roads on Diwali-eve. The Ring Road remained choked between Naraina T-point and Brar Square. In West Delhi, traffic crawled between Meera Bagh and Paschim Vihar; in Pitampura, jams stretched from three to four hours. Even New Delhi area, normally free of traffic jams, was clogged as jams were reported from Aurangzeb Road.