GSCL: Smart streetlights in Guwahati Project on tenterhooks

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Rs 70.27-crore smart streetlight project of the GSCL (Guwahati Smart City Ltd) has gone awry. Not even the tendering process of the 2017 project has been completed in the past three years, let alone installation of smart streetlights.

When contacted, GDD (Guwahati Development Department) and GSCL officials laid bare the reasons behind the delay in the project. According to the officials, the tendering process had to be done four times, but still now it is not successful. Now the tendering process has been on tenterhooks.

The GSCL did issue a tender notice for installation of smart streetlights in 2018. However, the process had to be cancelled as only two bidders had turned out. In 2019, GSCL invited bidders for the project only to face poor response from bidders again. This led GSCL to hand over the tendering and implementation of the project to the GMC (Guwahati Municipal Corporation) in 2019. The civic body too failed to complete the tendering process and pushed back the responsibility to the GSCL this year. It invited bids in May this year. Since only two of the six bidders qualified for the project, the tendering process couldn't be given its logical end as financial rules need at least three qualified bidders to pick one of them.

The GSCL then sent its tender evaluation committee's report to the Finance Department for financial clearance even though the number of qualified bidders is one short of the 'required three'. However, the Finance Department is yet to make its response known to the GSCL. With the response from the Finance department pending, the GSCL can neither cancel the bidding process nor can it start a fresh bidding.

At present, the coverage of streetlights in Guwahati is very low.

The GSCL project is for installation, testing and commissioning of LED streetlights, besides a centralized control and monitoring system, including poles, underground cables, earthing, feeder pillars with smart controller, etc.

The construction company will be responsible for the maintenance of the project for five years after its completion.

Also Read: Eight of 30 smart biotoilet under GSCL projects yet to be opened

Also Watch: BJP will form government in BTR and that is pretty clear: Assam CM Sonowal