Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir): In a significant turn of events, a company based in Gurgaon (Haryana) has been blacklisted by the Jammu and Kashmir Police for allegedly installing substandard hydraulic blocking bollards outside the Raj Bhavans in Jammu and Srinagar and other vital locations. The company, M/S Aditya Impex Pvt Ltd, had been entrusted with the task of installing 35 K4 and K8 crash-tested blocking bollards across seven locations.
Sources said that the Jammu and Kashmir Police headquarters had initiated a tender process in June, 2022, for the installation of 35 (K4 & K8 crash-tested) blocking bollards outside vital locations in Jammu and Srinagar.
The company (M/S S. Aditya Impex Pvt Ltd) emerged as the lowest bidder (L1 firm) during the bidding process. However, during the demonstration arranged by the firm in New Delhi, the committee overseeing the process raised concerns about the offered items, sources said. In response, the Police headquarters shared these observations with the company, requesting an undertaking that the firm would provide products conforming to bid specifications, they added.
According to an order issued on December 23, 2023, the firm provided the required undertaking and it was decided that the company would install a blocking bollard at the Raj Bhawan in Jammu and Kashmir for on-site demonstration. The committee, led by the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Range Srinagar, would then evaluate the installation. If found in accordance with the bid specifications, the firm would be given a supply order for the entire quantity.
However, the company informed the Police that it was not possible to install the blocking bollards at the Raj Bhawan site but offered to arrange a demonstration at their Gurgaon office, said the sources. They said that the Police headquarters agreed to this alternative and instructed the firm to install the item at their Gurgaon premises within 15 days for demonstration purposes.
Upon completion of the installation, the committee headed by DIG CKR Srinagar visited Gurgaon for inspection, only to find that the items did not meet the bid specifications, the sources said. Subsequently, the Police raised a ticket on the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) against the firm on July 10, 2023, and served a show cause notice to the company through the same portal.
It is learnt that a consultation meeting was held on August 14, 2023, via video conference, where the company failed to convince participants over the matter. As a consequence, GeM authorities suspended M/S S. Aditya Impex Pvt Ltd for two months, from August 8, 2023, to October 8, 2023.
The official order, issued on December 23, 2023, stated that the firm had wasted 490 days of the department's time and caused financial losses to the government. Consequently, M/S S. Aditya Impex Pvt Ltd was blacklisted for one year from the date of the order.
A senior police official, speaking to ETV Bharat, revealed details about the bid process for 35 K4 and K8 crash-tested blocking bollards across seven locations. The bid, identified as GEM/2022/B/2036487, was published on the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal on March 13, 2022. M/S S. Aditya Impex Pvt Ltd participated in the bidding and secured the lowest bid, leading to the initiation of the tender process in June.
However, the official highlighted that the company failed to adhere to the bid terms and lacked a convincing response, leading to their subsequent blacklisting. The department had a requirement for 35 Hydraulic blocking bollards/bollard barriers in Jammu and Srinagar, specifying 6 pieces (20 ft) and 6 pieces (21 ft) for Jammu, and 8 pieces (14 ft), 4 pieces (16 ft), and 5 pieces (17 ft) for Srinagar.
"The bid document outlined technical details and requirements, including specifications for Hydraulic (S4-H), Pneumatic (S4-P), Cylinder Diameter (223 to 230 mm), Cylinder length (900 to 950 mm), Cylinder Material (High tensile Carbon Steel), Rising and Lowering time (Normal: 3-4 seconds), Total Weight (200 to 250 kg), Safety against Human Traffic (Photo Sensor), Safety against Vehicle (Loop Detector), and Control Unit (PLC based control unit with tailor-made integration with all access control devices)," the official said.
“Despite these detailed specifications, the firm was unable to fulfill the work requirements, resulting in their blacklisting by the police department,” he added.
