New Delhi: Tender for manufacturing of 44 semi-high speed Vande Bharat train sets were cancelled because some bidders revealed prices in their technical bids, clarified Chairman Railway Board, Vinod Kumar Yadav, on Sunday. He also informed that fresh tenders for the project will allow more than 50 per cent local component, in line with the Government's initiative of Aatma Nirbhar Bharat.
While addressing a virtual press conference, Yadav said, "While evaluating the technical bids of train set tenders, the tender committee has noticed that some of the details of financial offers have been revealed in technical bids. To maintain complete transparency, the tender committee has recommended cancelling these tenders and inviting fresh ones."
"The Tender Accepting Authority, that is General Manager ICF has accepted the recommendations of the Tender Committee. Fresh tenders will be invited within a week," he added.
On Friday, Ministry of Railways released a statement regarding the cancellation of tenders for manufacturing 44 Vande Bharat train sets. "Fresh tender will be floated within a week as per Revised Public Procurement (preference to Make in India) order," it said.
The Railway official said that these tenders have been cancelled to maintain "highest level of transparency". He further explained that the scrapped tenders allowed indigenous content of 50 per cent, which will now be increased as per revised procurement policy.