Amid P&T apartment controversy, Kochi Corporation drops TDLC bid
Thrissur District Labour Contract Cooperative Society had emerged as lowest bidder in tender floated by Kochi Corporation in August for preparing a DPR for proposed convention centre at Edappally
The Kochi Corporation has declined a bid submitted by Thrissur District Labour Contract Cooperative Society (TDLC), the agency responsible for constructing the P&T Apartment Complex in Mundamveli, Kochi. The Corporation had previously ordered the VIGILANCE and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) to investigate the controversial project.
TDLC, which had secured the lowest bid for preparing a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for a proposed convention centre at Edappally, has now been retendered by the Corporation. The Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA), which commissioned the P&T Apartment project, terminated TDLC's services in July 2024 due to shortcomings in the apartment complex's construction.
The Mayor of Kochi, V.K. Minimol, stated that engaging an agency under scrutiny would not have been appropriate. The GCDA sources revealed that TDLC was terminated for not addressing issues like leakage, resulting in a withheld payment of over ₹1 crore and revenue recovery proceedings of ₹4.35 crore. Despite these issues, Raveendran, the Vice-President of TDLC, claimed that the project estimate had been reduced to cut costs, and the company had all necessary documents to prove its innocence.
The P&T Apartment Protest Committee has sought an inquiry into alleged asset accumulation by GCDA engineering wing officials during the project's construction, urging a meeting with the Chief Minister after a high-level meeting scheduled for October 6.
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