Beautification of Northern Foreshore Road: Project worth Rs 7.71Cr in dock as inspection picks loopholes in execution

Kashmir Happenings

Posted by admin_kas on 2025-12-09 14:30:11 | Last Updated by admin_kas on 2025-12-10 10:42:09

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Gujarat based firm served show cause for violating tender agreement, delay in completion of project

KS News Desk 

Srinagar, Dec 9: The much hyped project worth Rs 7.71 crores for beautification of Northern Foreshore Road (NFR) has been left midway as the inspection of the project conducted by an independent third party has picked loopholes in the execution of the project.

As per the official documents, the tender was awarded to the Gujarat (Ahmadabad) based firm namely Classic Foundation by Lake Conservation and Management Authority (LCMA) for design selection and conceptualisation, supply, packaging, forwarding, installation, testing and commissioning of programmable aerators cum fountains at various locations along NFR.

As per the documents, the tender worth Rs 771 lacs was allotted to the firm on the negotiated rates as per the techno commercial terms and conditions.

The terms of payment for the equipment were also set while awarding the contract under which it was decided that 60 percent of the amount shall be released of the material or stores received or dumped at the destination.

The payment of funds was to be done after verification of the item stores by the independent departmental committee to check the veracity of the documents, quantification and physical status of the items, cluster wise, including those major or miniature items as well which have not been reflected in the technical details of the tender document.

The department also set a condition that payment will be made after verification of items to be installed, by third party constituted by LCMA, with regard to material composition physical parameters

Meanwhile the Internal Committee constituted on February 20 of 2024 had also conducted physical inspection of the items, material supplied by the firm.

"As per the report, the specifications of distribution pipes for chasing jet nozzles and Mist fog nozzles are found as per Schedule 5S instead of 40S and the thickness of the M. S. Float pipes found varied from 5.0mm to 8.7mm measured by using ultrasonic thickness measuring devices," the communication reads.

The firm has been conveyed that it was bound to execute the project with the items and material strictly as per the specifications laid down in the allotment order

"As per inspection reports of NIT Srinagar and internal Committee, the items viz: Float Pipes, Distribution Pipe network for both Chasing Jet and Mist Fog Nozzles, Fountain Cables are not conforming to the specifications as laid down in the allotment order and such action amounts to violation of the contractual provisions and deviation from the approved specifications, thereby compromising the quality and authenticity of the project work," the official document reads.

The firm was asked to explain and justify the reasons for having supplied and used items that do not meet the prescribed specifications as mentioned in the NIT and allotment order.

"You are advised to replace the items not conforming to the specifications as mentioned in the allotment order," it reads.

Amid questions raised in the third party inspection by the experts and the delay in completion of the project, a meeting was convened by the Secretary Housing and Urban Development Department (HUDD) on October 28 of 2025 to discuss the "third party report and observations thereof."

The meeting was attended by Vice Chairman LCMA, Superintending Engineer and Executive Engineers of LCMA besides the Professors (experts) from the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Srinagar.

On November 4 of 2025 LCMA issued a notice to the Gujarat based firm and sought explanation from them for not meeting the terms and conditions as set in the tender awarded to them.

As per terms and conditions, the material was to be inspected by the third Party, which in this case was the National Institute of Technology, Srinagar.

"The reports were furnished by the NIT Srinagar on October 14 of 2024 and December 2 of 2024 followed by clarifications on January 10 of 2025 to observations raised by the Executive Engineer, Mechanical Division," the official document reads.

As per the official communication served to the firm, LCMA has stated that against the requirement of 650 Chasing Jet Nozzles only 390 found on site and 130 of chasing jet nozzles were fitted at cluster.

"Against 650 of Mist Fog Nozzles only 390 were found on site and only 130 were fitted," the communication reads.

In the meantime, on October 22 of 2025, a notice was served to firm by LCMA and it was stated that there has been no response from them, either to complete the project or otherwise despite holding several meetings.

"Seemingly it appears that you are not interested in executing the project, as such you yourself violated the terms and conditions of the allotment order. The reason for your cold response can be inferred from the fact that none of your representatives is available at site to make any headway to complete the project," the official document reads.

It reads the project has not only been delayed, but has also wasted the essence of implementation of conservation measures of the Dal Lake.

"On basis your non-serious approach, LCMA is constrained to invoke the penal provisions of the allotment orders which can involve foreclosure of work at your risk and cost, forfeiting your financial securities available with the authority, besides black listing and debarring your firm for future participation in the authority," the official document reads.

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