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Sources : Tamil Nadu Highway Paver Contractors Association flag the flagrant violation in award of state Highway maintenance tenders in Thanjavur Division. Earlier, DMK President MK.Stalin has alleged huge scam in the award of contract worth 1165 crores. 1/n

A resolution passed by the association says, by changing over from the earlier system of Comprehensive Road Infrastructure Development Programme (CRIDP) to, Performance Based Maintenance Contract (PBMC) government is suffering a loss of Rs.1113.50 crores. 2/n

While the cost of maintenance of one kilometer road as per CRIDP costs Rs.1 crore, cost as per PBMC is Rs.2.33 crores.

While the DMK has earlier pointed out the Phase.I contract loss of 700 crores, 3/n

it has failed to flag the Phase.II contract which also results in huge loss says, the resolution.

Sources in Highways department say that, the tenders floated by TN Highways Department was based on the rates existing at January 2020. 4/n

However due to the lockdown, cost of material for road maintenance work has fallen drastically say sources. For example, a ton of bitumen which had cost Rs.39,000 earlier is now Rs.30,000. Bitumen Emulsion which cost Rs.37,000/- is now Rs.30,000/-. 5/n

Similarly Light Diesel Oil (LDO) which was Rs.40 a liter earlier, now costs Rs.30/-. A fresh tender in the existing rates alone would save nearly Rs.350 crores to the TN government add the sources. 6/n

In the meanwhile, two Writ Petitions 7496 & 7551 of 2020 in this regard which came up for hearing before the High Court of Madras today stand adjourned to 26 May for further hearing. 7/n

During the arguments, the petitioners argued that government has boosted the Californian Bearing Ratio (CBR) used to evaluate the subgrade strength of roads, and sought complete details of such measurements used to float tenders in previous year contracts. 8/n

However, govt, refused to part with the details and the case stands adjourned to 26th May 2020.

On 6 May 2020, DMK filed a complaint alleging huge corruption in the award of Highway maintenance contract in
9/n

Thanjavur division and lodged a complaint with the DVAC. DMK is likely to file a petition in HC for a direction to DVAC based on this complaint next week.

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