Sabarimala Shop Tender: TDB Invites Re-Tender for 210 Shop Rooms After Earlier Process Cancelled
PATHANAMTHITTA: The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has invited fresh tenders for 210 shop rooms at Sabarimala, Pampa and Nilakkal after the confidentiality of bidding details in the earlier tender process was allegedly compromised.
The fresh tender includes 110 shop rooms for which the earlier e-tender process was cancelled, along with 100 shops that had remained vacant. Details of the fresh tender have been published on the official website of the Travancore Devaswom Board.
The tender notification individually lists more than 230 tender items, providing specific details for each shop and commercial space located across Sabarimala, Pamba and Nilakkal. The notification includes the relevant tender conditions, base amounts and other details applicable to the individual properties.
Official Tender Notification: View the Travancore Devaswom Board’s official tender notification
The Devaswom Vigilance wing is investigating the alleged leakage of confidential bid information and will question officials suspected of sharing the details with contractors. The Vigilance team is also expected to examine their call records as part of the inquiry.
Vigilance officials have already recorded the statements of two contractors who allegedly received the leaked information. The preliminary investigation reportedly raised suspicions that confidential bid details may have been photographed on mobile phones by some officials and shared with regular contractors after the tender submission deadline.
The alleged irregularity came to light after a new contractor who had participated in the tender reportedly received a threatening message on his phone. Following this, the TDB cancelled the entire tender process, including the e-auction that was scheduled for September 29.
This was the first time that an online e-tender and e-auction system was introduced for the 110 shops at Sabarimala. Tenders were invited from September 16 to 23, followed by technical evaluation on September 24 and financial evaluation on September 26.
According to TDB officials, the online system was introduced to bring greater transparency to the auction process and prevent practices that had allegedly affected previous direct auctions. Officials said contractors had, in the past, allegedly coordinated their bids and quoted lower amounts. If the Board rejected the bids, contractors could collectively withdraw, leaving shops unsold and eventually forcing the Board to reduce the base amounts.
The TDB has fixed base amounts ranging from ₹4 lakh to ₹2 crore for the 110 shops, which include eateries, snack stalls and bookstalls. The tender conditions state that bids below the prescribed base amounts will be disqualified and the contracts will be awarded to the highest eligible bidders.
The Board suspects that the alleged leakage of bidding information was an attempt to influence or suppress bid amounts. It has decided to proceed with a fresh e-auction and has maintained that the shops will not be allotted below the prescribed base rates.
The Vigilance team has been directed to submit its report to the TDB within three days. The findings are expected to be discussed at the Board meeting scheduled for September 30. The Devaswom Minister has also warned that stringent action will be taken if the investigation establishes any malpractice.
The fresh tender process comes as the TDB is preparing for the upcoming Mandala pilgrimage season, with several arrangements and tender procedures already under way.