Telangana: BRS seeks cancellation of PM Ekta Mall tender, independent probe into alleged irregularities
Hyderabad, Aug 10 (TNT): BRS working president K T Rama Rao (KTR) on Monday alleged financial irregularities in the tender process for the proposed PM Ekta (Unity) Mall at Raidurg in Hyderabad and demanded cancellation of the tender and an independent probe into the project.
In a letter to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, KTR urged the Centre to stop further release of funds for the project and intervene before any irreversible decisions were taken.
KTR alleged that the Telangana government had framed questionable tender conditions that could provide disproportionate benefits to a private developer at the expense of public resources.
The proposed project has an estimated cost of ₹2,059.81 crore, excluding the value of land, and has received around ₹202 crore in Central assistance, he said. The project is proposed on about 6.30 acres of prime land at Raidurg, with a built-up area of around 27 lakh sq ft.
KTR’s main concern was the distribution of commercial space. He said the government had a minimum entitlement of around nine lakh sq ft, while the private developer would receive a minimum of 18 lakh sq ft.
The selected consortium comprises Vamsiram Builders & Developers Pvt Ltd as the lead member and Aparna Infrahousing Pvt Ltd as the partner.
KTR said the consortium had offered an additional 18,000 sq ft of Grade-A commercial office space over the government’s minimum entitlement, taking its total share to about 9.18 lakh sq ft.
He questioned why a private developer was entitled to at least twice the government’s minimum built-up area in a project involving valuable public land and Central financial assistance.
KTR also questioned the project’s financial model, pointing out that the ₹200 crore interest-free loan sanctioned under the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) scheme was proposed to be routed through Telangana Trade Promotion Corporation Limited (TGTPC) to the selected developer on a back-to-back basis.
He alleged that the tender framework also allowed expenditure incurred on project preparation, consultancy, surveys, approvals and site preparation to be adjusted from the funds, and called for independent scrutiny of the arrangement.
The BRS leader demanded that the proposed project be examined on aspects including land valuation, project cost, financial model, tender conditions, bid evaluation, government share, private developer’s commercial rights and utilisation of Central funds.
He also sought public disclosure of the Detailed Project Report, financial model, land valuation, tender documents and bid evaluation records.
KTR urged the Centre to order an independent examination by appropriate audit, vigilance and investigative agencies, including the CAG wherever applicable, and said the probe should not be confined to the state government machinery involved in designing and implementing the project.
He also questioned the Centre’s response to earlier complaints raised by the BRS over alleged irregularities in AMRUT tenders, coal-related matters and other issues involving the Telangana government.
KTR demanded immediate cancellation of the tender and stoppage of further Central funds until an independent investigation is completed, saying the BRS would continue to pursue the matter before the appropriate authorities.
TNT TS
