BackDelhi HC permits fresh tender process for NDMC’s free Wi-Fi project
The `220-cr project aims at providing free Wi-Fi and includes replacement of streetlights with LED bulbs and putting up CCTV cameras on 18,500 street poles
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New Delhi: The Delhi high court on Friday allowed the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) to initiate a fresh tender process for a project to provide free Wi-Fi to residents.
The ₹ 220-crore project aims at providing free Wi-Fi and includes replacement of streetlights with LED bulbs and putting up CCTV cameras on 18,500 street poles in areas under the civic body’s jurisdiction.
A bench comprising justice Badar Durrez Ahmed and justice Sanjeev Sachdeva, while accepting the submission placed before it by NDMC for re-floating tenders, directed cancellation of the contract between NDMC and Indus Towers, which was challenged by Reliance Jio Infocomm.
Reliance Jio Infocomm, an arm of Reliance Industries Ltd, had moved a plea on 21 May, seeking the quashing of a letter of intent (LoI) issued in March to Indus Towers, which is a joint venture of Bharti Infratel Ltd, Idea Cellular Ltd and Vodafone India.
It had argued that specifications in various parts of the tender document were vague. They did not lay down important specifications of electrical equipment such as the wattage of street lights and the pixel density of CCTV cameras to be installed, which would have a direct impact on the project.
NDMC had claimed that it had allowed a degree of flexibility as it involved technology that evolves fast. This contention was disregarded by the court.
On 27 March, the court restrained NDMC from entering into a contract with Indus Towers. The court had ordered the restraint while observing the lack of specific methodology for comparing bids of Indus Towers and Reliance Jio Infocomm.
Both Indus Towers and Reliance Jio Infocomm declined to comment.
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