Daijiworld Media Network – Panaji
Panaji, May 14: Serious allegations of irregularities have surfaced in Goa’s Public Works Department (PWD) tendering process involving government contracts worth over Rs 1,000 crore, with a private construction firm accused of securing eligibility through forged and manipulated documents.
According to complaints filed by civil engineer and PWD contractor Manoj S. Pai Dukle, the company allegedly obtained Class IAA (Super) contractor status using fraudulent completion certificates, enabling it to participate in high-value government projects.
The complaint alleges discrepancies in documentation related to the Mudi Tank Filling Scheme under Karnataka Neeravari Nigam Limited, where multiple versions of completion certificates were reportedly submitted before Goa PWD authorities, raising questions over verification procedures.
It is further alleged that in subsequent submissions, the firm projected itself as the lead partner in joint venture projects, thereby overstating its technical qualifications to meet eligibility norms for higher contractor classification.
Another complaint pertains to the Rs 51.19-crore Akka Mahadevi Memorial project in Karnataka’s Shivamogga district. The complainant stated that the project was executed in multiple tendered phases and could not be treated as a single completed project for the purpose of contractor enlistment.
The allegations also cite Clause 18.1 of Goa’s Revised Rules of Enlistment of Contractors (PWD/WRD, 2020), which states that experience gained under joint venture agreements cannot be independently claimed by individual partners for eligibility purposes.
Dukle has further alleged that the Goa PWD failed to properly verify joint venture agreements and overlooked key eligibility clauses during the enlistment process.
He has claimed that the irregularities may not be accidental and could involve vested interests, suggesting possible manipulation of procedures that enabled the firm to secure eligibility for multiple public works contracts.