Formalities not completed in retendering KSTP: UDF

Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 15 (UNI) The Congress-led United Democratic Front in Kerala today said the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front Government had decided go for retenders in the Kerala State Transport Project without taking into account the formalities to be completed while retendering a global bid.

''As it was an international bid and the World Bank was involved in the project, the government should have completed certain formalities before taking a decison, UDF convenor P P Thankachan and former Congress Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan told reporters here.

They alleged that the government had decided to retender the KSTP only to show that there was no lapse on its part and to slow down the agitation against the project.

The two leaders also asked the government to discuss the issue with the MLAs of Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta and Kollam, where the project was being implemented, to arrive at a consensus.

They urged the government to realise the mobilisation advance of about Rs 12 crore, bank guarantee and performance gurantee from earlier contractors. ''Without realising all these, the government has allowed the company to leave the state.

The contractors have shifted all their equipment and the government kept mum on this,'' they said.

The state government had yesterday decided to retender the controversial project within ten days, with the permission of the World Bank. It had said that the project would be retendered to a company or a consultant based on the advice of the World Bank. UNI