However, MMRC had claimed that there was no breach of transparency in the appointment of the PR firm by paying Rs 71.04 lakh, that is Rs 5.92 lakh per month for a period from April 2017 to March 2018
The State's Chief Secretary's office has sought a report from the Urban Development Department headed by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) executing the Colaba-Bandra-Seepz Metro-3 underground corridor to appoint a private Public Relation (PR) agency without floating e-tenders for appointment despite the state and central government making it mandatory to follow e-tendering process for purchase of more than Rs 3 lakh and Rs 2 lakh to maintain transparency.
DNA had reported on September 27, 2017, about MMRC appointing M/S Genesis Burson-Marsteller, a public relations agency, to handle media and communications for MMRC by calling quotations and not conducting e-tendering process for the appointment.
However, MMRC had claimed that there was no breach of transparency in the appointment of the PR firm by paying Rs 71.04 lakh, that is Rs 5.92 lakh per month for a period from April 2017 to March 2018.
Suraj Mandhare, Joint Secretary to Sumit Mullick, Chief Secretary, Government of Maharashtra, told DNA, "On the basis of the information received about MMRC appointing PR agency without e-tendering, I have forwarded the matter to the Urban Development Department, and I am expecting them to get details on the matter, and submit a report to this office."
Nitin Kareer, Principal Secretary Urban Development Department, informed DNA, "I have sent all the details received from the Chief Secretary's office to Ashwini Bhide, Managing Director of MMRC. I have asked her to find out the facts on the matter, and you shall contact her on the matter."
However, Bhide was not available for comments. A text message sent to Bhide and R Ramana, executive director (planning), MMRC who awarded the contract to private PR agency, remained unanswered till the time of going to the press.
Responding to a query of DNA in September 2017, about why e-tendering was not conducted to appoint PR agency despite state government mandating to tender procurement above Rs 3 lakh to be e-tendered to maintain transparency, MMRC had contended that as it is jointly owned by the Government of India (GoI) and Government of Maharashtra (GoM), the procurement process followed is in conformity with GoI guidelines in respective fields.
However, according to the norms of Expenditure Department of GOI, e-tendering should be done for every purchase that is above Rs 2 lakh.
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