Phase VI of PMGSY will be implemented with World Bank funds and therefore, no paper tenders will be allowed. All tenders should be submitted through the Internet or e-tendering to ensure transparency and zero manipulation in the system.
Since most of the contractors are too aged to learn the new tricks, their wards have been asked to gain knowledge of e-tendering.
“Last year, around 40 contractors have been trained on e-tendering. Many of them brought their young sons to learn the tricks of the trade,” a senior PWD official said.
It has become mandatory to file tenders online for Phase VI of PMGSY, which is being funded by the World Bank, said the official.
The funding has been pegged at Rs 1,071 crore to be implemented for a period of five years. The state is expected to utilise at least Rs 200 crore annually.
Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab are the other states, which have also been selected to receive funds from the World Bank to implement road projects.
The total fund earmarked by the World Bank is $1.5 billion.
“For Phase VI of PMGSY, no paper tenders would be issued or accepted. Everything has to be done through the Internet. Since the World Bank would be funding the project, complete transparency has been demanded in the implementation of road projects,” the official said.
One of the main criteria for e-tendering is that contractors should possess a digital signature certificate to provide authenticity to the tenders filed by them.
A digital signature is a mathematical scheme for demonstrating the authenticity of a digital message or document.
Digital signatures are commonly used for software distribution, financial transactions and in other important cases where it is necessary to detect forgery or tampering.
The official said, “We still have a long way to go to to ensure that the process becomes workable even in projects funded by the state government.”
Under the first batch of Phase VI of PMGSY, the state targets to connect 34 habitations with all-weather roads. The expected expenditure to be incurred is around Rs 94.81 crore for a 104.26km road length.