New Delhi, Jul 9 (PTI) A group of animal welfare activists has alleged irregularities in the tendering process for the operation of Delhi’s first dedicated pet park in Jangpura and demanded that the MCD halt the process, order an independent inquiry and issue a fresh tender.
The allegations come weeks after the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) revived the long-pending project and floated fresh tenders to appoint a private operator for the 1.5-acre facility near the Jangpura-Defence Colony flyover under the public-private partnership (PPP) model.
The park, developed in early 2023 but yet to become operational, is designed to include a veterinary clinic, swimming pool, grooming centre, day-care and boarding facilities for pet dogs.
In a representation
circulated on Wednesday, the activists alleged that the ongoing tender process was “rigged in collusion” and cited what they described as irregularities in the technical evaluation of bids.
According to the representation, four of the five bidders were allegedly interconnected through common addresses, directors, joint venture partners, chartered accountants, banking channels, documents and GST registrations.
The activists also alleged that affidavits, e-stamps, earnest money deposits and powers of attorney of multiple bidders were processed on the same day through the same bank, raising questions about the independence of the bids.
They further claimed that the technical evaluation was manipulated to qualify ineligible bidders and alleged that the weightage assigned to technical credentials had been reduced, making financial bids the deciding factor instead of expertise in animal welfare.
The group demanded that the MCD withhold the opening of financial bids and refrain from issuing any letter of award until the matter is investigated.
It also called for an independent probe into the alleged interlinkages among bidders, examination of financial and GST records and fixation of responsibility on officials involved in clearing the bids.
The activists urged the civic body to blacklist entities found guilty of collusion, refer the matter to investigative agencies and issue a fresh tender with animal welfare expertise as the primary eligibility criterion.
They also sought preference for organisations recognised by the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) in future bidding.
The MCD had in May said the facility would become operational after an agency is selected to operate and maintain it and that similar parks could be developed elsewhere in Delhi if the model proves successful.
In a letter to MCD Commissioner, animal rights activist Maneka Gandhi alleged that the tender process had been “seriously compromised” and urged the civic body to immediately withhold the opening of financial bids and refrain from issuing any Letter of Award until the matter is independently investigated. She claimed that the irregularities defeated the objective of creating a transparent and welfare-oriented facility for animals.
Gandhi also alleged that the technical evaluation process had been diluted by reducing the weightage given to technical credentials, allowing price to become the determining factor instead of competence in animal care.
“A pet park is not a lawn with fountains; it is a place where living dogs and other animals will be bathed, boarded, treated and will swim. Yet this tender asks a contractor for no experience with animals at all – a mere six months of building or maintaining a ‘theme park’ is enough to qualify,” the letter mentioned, adding that nearly all the marks a bidder is scored on can be earned on theme-park credentials.
She urged the MCD to cancel the present tender, issue a fresh one with objective eligibility criteria that prioritise expertise in animal welfare, and fix accountability if any collusion or manipulation is established.
There was no immediate response from MCD officials on the issue. PTI AHD AHD MDO MDO
