While eight metro coaches were flown in from Germany at Rs 28 lakh in eight sorties, the cost of flying in kitchen equipment from London in two sorties was Rs 7.5 crore!
While eight metro coaches were flown in from Germany at Rs 28 lakh in eight sorties, the cost of flying in kitchen equipment from London in two sorties was Rs 7.5 crore!
Here's fodder for former Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) VK Shunglu, who is heading the probe into the Commonwealth Games 'scam'.u00a0 
Dishing the Dirt: A view of the kitchen at the Games Village. file pic
The OC reportedly ended up paying much more for the transportation and installation cost on the kitchen equipment it bought from the UK, because of procedural delays, as per the data provided in the minutes of the meeting of the Executive Board of the Organising Committee.
The document, a copy of which is with MiD DAY, provides an insight into the meeting of the Executive Board held on July 7.
Agenda
Apart from other things, the agenda included the approval of the airlifting of the kitchen equipment for the Games village from East Midland Airport, UK, to Delhi and the approval of an agency for the installation of the same.
The OC bought cooking equipment worth Rs 8.5 crore from M/s PKL, London, and it was ready for despatch by June 28. But the kitchen at the Games village had to be made operational by August 11, 2010, but it wasn't. The preferred mode of transportation, by ship, would have taken six weeks and therefore, they thought of airlifting the equipment.
Theu00a0Catch
"The timelines are so strict and severe that it does not give OC the freedom to float a tender to identify the agency," the document reads.Air India was approached but its current freight aircraft A-310 could not accommodate the 40-feet high container.u00a0u00a0
The Defence Ministry declined because an IL-76 plane with a capacity of 25-30 tonnes would have to fly at least 12 sorties to carry the equipment. "The Joint Secretary (Defence) suggested the better option would be to go for an AN-124 aircraft so that the entire consignment could be brought in two sorties," the minutes of the meeting read.
The Contract
The official logistics service provider backed out, saying it covered only services within India.
Therefore, the panel zeroed in on Balmer Lawrie and Co. Ltd., a government of India enterprise under the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas. It agreed to bring in the consignment at a cost of $1.5 million (Rs 7.5 crore approx.)
It would be interesting to note here Bombardier paid Rs 28 lakh towards transportation cost of two trains (8 coaches) for Delhi Metro Rail Corporation by AN-124 plane from Germany to Delhi. The plane had done eight sorties to bring the consignment to the Indian capital. However, to bring the kitchen equipment to Delhi, it had to do only two sorties.u00a0
Putting It Together
The OC might also have to counter questions pertaining to the huge cost it incurred on the installation of the kitchen equipment.
The Executive Board appointed Constellation Projects (in consortium with Aster Technologies Pvt. Ltd.) for the purpose. Their initial bid was for Rs 10 crore and the deal was finalised at Rs 9.5 crore.
The Big Question
is baffling how equipment worth Rs 8.5 crore would require Rs 9.5 crore as installation charges.
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| The Other Side |
| Secretary General and Spokesperson of the Organising Committee Lalit Bhanot refused to comment on the issue. OC Chief Suresh Kalmadi did not return calls nor did he reply to the messages sent on his mobile. |
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