ISLAMABAD – Serious reservations of Capital Development Authority (CDA)’s financial experts did not deter their bosses from approving a 37 percent over the Note of Inviting Tender cost bid for the construction of additional family suites at parliament lodges, sources said.
After the approval of this project, the cost which was originally Rs 2.5 billion, has now reached Rs 4 billion, the sources said, adding that the bid was not approved by the Tender Acceptance Committee (ATC) as they had reservations about the increase.
Five pre-qualified firms were bypassed in the granting of this project to a private firm, sources said, adding that it is to be inaugurated today (Wednesday).
“The owners of the private firm have strong political links,” the sources alleged.
Member Engineering Abdul Jabbar Melano when contacted rejected this allegation and when asked why a higher bid was approved, he said the NIT was prepared nine months ago.
He said that ATC had approved the tender and sent it to chairman CDA for final approval. “The site of the project is a high security zone which is also another reason for the increase in project cost,” he said.
