Yet another controversy has sprung up involving the prestigious Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU). After the controversy surrounding its vice chancellor Dr H. Maheshappa's educational qualifications, it’s now university officials who are in the dock for alleged irregularities in awarding tenders related to the development of the ambitious VTU Institute of Advanced Technology campus at the birth place of Sir M. Visvesvaraya, Muddenahalli in Chikkaballapur district.
According to the documents accessed through the Right to Information (RTE), on July 2, 2011, VTU invited tenders worth Rs 37.73 crore for the development of its Institute of Advanced Technology campus at Muddenahalli, which includes construction of post-graduate blocks, a hostel and dining-room building. As per government orders, all tenders exceeding Rs 10 crore should be provided in K/W 4 format. But according to the documents accessed through RTI, VTU invited tenders under K/W 5 format (which is for tenders under Rs 10 crore). Even though the tender committee of the estate board of the university opposed accepting tenders called under K/W 5, the university issued work orders to the contractors through this format.
The documents reveal that at the estate committee meeting where the tender issue was brought for ratification, PWD superintendent engineer Vinayak Sugur had requested the finance officer of VTU to verify with the procurement cell of the government the use of K/W 5 format. Committee chairman Prof Syed Shakeeb Ur Rahaman and other members had also observed that agencies had quoted exorbitant rates. In the estate board meeting held on March 30, 2012 to evaluate the financial bids, it was suggested that all the tenders be rejected and new tenders called for. The committee had also observed that the decision to entrust the work when no progress had been made in clearing the land, would be irregular. An officer close to the developments told this newspaper that despite this the work order has been issued to a contractor from Andhra Pradesh, flouting the rules.
An officer of the higher education department says that the gap between opening of the first cover and the second cover should not be more than 60 days and if the time gap exceeds 60 days, the tender must be re-invited. “At first they gave just 33 days against 45 days to apply for the tender. Now, after 10 months, a work order is issued,” he said. VTU V-C Dr H.Maheshappa was not available for comment.