Kozhikode: The Kozhikode Corporation has come out with a strange explanation for excluding the application of an architecture group regarding the designing of pushcarts for street vendors. The civic body has cited that it couldn’t go through the application in a timely manner as the section clerk was on leave!
Initially, the corporation maintained it didn’t receive any application from the institution in question. However, corporation authorities took a U-turn and came out with the new account when faced with charges of deliberately avoiding the firm to award the tender to another institution favoured by it.
Corporation Welfare standing committee chairperson P Divakaran said the application of the Karanthoor-based firm was sent by post. Though it received the bid, the particular section clerk was on leave. The same resulted in the application not coming before the vending committee promptly. Though the bid was considered later, it lacked necessary project information, he added.
“By that time, the design was already selected out of the applications filed by two other institutions directly to the secretary. We also considered the one which was received late. However, it didn’t have project details and hence was excluded,” Divakaran said.
Meanwhile, the architecture group owners said they sent only the design as the authorities didn’t demand project details. Even the ad inviting the tender didn’t mention of having to submit the details, they pointed out.
