Govt inching towards fixing fare meters on taxis
NT NETWORK
PANAJI
The Goa Electronics Limited will open financial bids within 15 days to select a bidder for the supply, installation and maintenance of automated tracking device with an integrated emergency system and fare meters for 32,000 taxis.
The technical bid, which was kept open till November 30, has received only three bidders.
The bidders are under evaluation for the compliance vis-a-vis technical requirements of the tender. The selected bid will then move for financial evaluation.
“The winning bidder will be selected on the basis of the best financial proposal; the bidder has to clear the technical evaluation. We have received three bids this time. We are evaluating the bids and finalise within 15 days. The bid that clears the technical evaluation will move towards the financial evaluation,” an official from the transport department said.
The selected bidder will have to provide annual maintenance for minimum of four years. Besides, the contractor will have to give one year free warranty on the devices and set up 12 service centres across the state.
In addition, the selected bidder will also have to open two service-cum affixation centres in both the districts.
A call centre will be operated by GEL which will handle passenger complaints. The complaints could be related to non-use of fare meters and misbehaviour.
The taxi drivers can also register their complaints on non-functioning of the equipment.
It is pertinent to note here that a tender for the purpose was first floated in March this year. Eight bidders had made bids for the tendered work. Of the eight bidders, five bidders had qualified in the technical bid and their integrated devices were also sent to the Union ministry of transport-nominated agency – International Centre for Automotive Technology, Manesar – to check its compliance with the requirements specified in Automotive Industry Standard 140.
But the transport department scrapped the entire tendering process and floated a new tender in October to comply with new specifications notified by the Bureau of Indian Standards on integrated emergency system and fare meters.
The High Court of Bombay at Goa, which has been monitoring the tendering process for the installation and use of digital meters for tourist taxis in the state, was annoyed by the delaying tactics of transport department. The HC slapped a fine of Rs 10,000 on the state government for miscommunication and causing unnecessary delay of two months in finalising the standards to fix digital meters and GPS on taxis.
Following the court direction, the GEL refloated the tender for the installation of tracking device with an integrated emergency system and fare meters on 32,000 taxis across the state by December-end.
The state in its affidavit filed before the High Court has assured that the installation of such devices will begin by December 25, 2018.
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