DJB allows emergency, maintenance works up to Rs 10 lakh without tendering

New Delhi, Nov 25 (PTI) The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has approved delegating financial powers to award maintenance and emergency work of up to Rs 10 lakh without inviting tenders, according to an official order made public on Tuesday.

Usually, works are awarded in the DJB after issuing an e-tender online for projects costing Rs 25 lakh and above and for e-tenders along with advertisement in newspapers for projects costing Rs 50 lakh and above.

"The board in its 175th meeting has considered the proposal submitted by the director of finance and accounts regarding delegation of financial powers to superintending engineers of the maintenance side for the award of work without call of tenders, spot quotation costing up to Rs 10 lakh in case of an emergent situation in the Delhi Jal Board," the DJB's order read.

The proposal was deliberated in detail, and the board approved it with the condition of concurrence of the member-water and other officials shall be taken for each work under this category before using the delegated financial power, the order stated further.

According to the officials, work under Rs 10 lakh is mostly maintenance work like fixing broken pipelines, routine maintenance of equipment, and other small works.

"A monthly report of such cases shall be submitted to the CEO, DJB, through the concerned chief engineer and member by the 7th of the following month," the order said, adding that other procurement manuals and laid down rules will have to be followed while awarding such works.

In the first budget of the new BJP government, the water and sewerage sector has been given one of the biggest shares of Rs 9,000 crore. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has allocated Rs 500 crore for repairs in the budget; the ageing water pipeline of the DJB is also a focus point of the government. PTI SSM APL