Bengaluru: The state government's ambitious Indira Canteen which is set to offer food at subsidized rates to Bengalureans from August 15 is now marred with another controversy.
Ever since works commenced to build the canteen in 198 wards it was marred with issues like trees being felled down, parks and temple premises making way for the canteen.
BJP city president N.R. Ramesh on Thursday alleged that irregularities to the tune of Rs 65 crore has been done with the Indira canteen project.
Addressing the media, Ramesh said, "BBMP is building 198 Indira canteens across the city. To build centralised cooking places across 27 constituencies in Bengaluru, a sum of Rs 39 lakh is being deprived. For every one square feet of canteen built, Rs 2 lakh is deprived. So to build 27 centralized cooking places and 198 canteens, irregularities come to up to Rs 65 crore."
The tender for this Rs 100 crore project was awarded to KEF Infrastructure, based in Krishnagiri, Tamil Nadu, by violating Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement Act, he alleged.
There was no tendering process as the state government allegedly granted 4G exemption under the Transparency Act, he added.
BBMP is building the canteen with precast technologies. Even though there are many Bangalore-based companies which are ready to build a square feet within Rs 1 lakh, the tender to build the canteen was awarded to KEF, which is charging Rs 2.9 lakh to build a square feet.
He further said a complaint has been registered with the Lokayukta and ACMM Court against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Bangalore Development Minister K.J. George and Additional Chief Secretary Mahendra Jain for allowing the irregularities.
