HC dismisses plea to outsource engagement of workers for Netaji museum, Biju Patnaik Park | Bhubaneswar News
Cuttack: Orissa high court declined to proceed on a petition seeking direction to authorities to outsource, through a tender process, the engagement of workers for maintenance of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Birthplace Museum and Biju Patnaik Park in the city.
In the petition, Kedar Prusty, a former member of town level advisory committee, said maintenance of both monuments is vital as they are major landmarks and tourist destinations in Cuttack city.The petition contended, “The engagement of an agency, without competitive bidding, poses a risk to the museum’s long-term maintenance and operational excellence,” Prusty said.
The petition alleged that the Cuttack Development Authority (CDA) is “proceeding to award work to a specific agency to provide manpower to be engaged in the park in Bidanasi project area and Museum at Odia Bazar without floating a tender.”
Prusty cited a reply given by the minister of housing & urban development on the floor of the legislative assembly on Dec 10, 2024. “The minister categorically replied that CDA would conduct a transparent bidding process to select an agency for the operation and maintenance of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Birthplace Museum and Biju Patnaik Park, and it would be done as per law.”
When the petition was taken up on Jan 22, advocate Lalit Kumar Maharana made submissions on behalf of the petitioner. But the court was apparently not impressed.
The two-judge bench of acting Chief Justice Arindam Sinha and Justice M S Sahoo said, “On query made, we have not been shown specific allegations made of either that workers have already been engaged or they have not been, except an allegation that the work is being awarded to a private service provider agency.”
The petitioner relied on an extracted record of question and answer from the proceedings of the legislative assembly on Dec 10, 2024.
Accordingly, the bench disposed of the petition saying: “We are not inclined to direct issuance of notice. Instead, we direct the petitioner to obtain a certified copy of this order and communicate it to CDA and CMC, and they are to be thereby made aware of the answer given by the minister, for the authorities to act accordingly.”
The Biju Patnaik Park, developed by CDA over 35 acres and opened to the public in 2010 at a nominal fee of Rs 2, was later closed due to poor maintenance. Currently, CDA has engaged the National Project Construction Corporation (NPCC) for a renovation project scheduled for completion by March 15.
The Netaji Birthplace Museum building has 15 galleries and infrastructure around it is being developed over six acres with an auditorium, yoga centre, food court, along with a light and sound show interpretation centre on the life and times of Netaji.
The extract of the minister’s reply in the legislative assembly reproduced in the HC order read: “The Netaji Museum and Biju Pattnaik Park will not be handed over to the Cuttack Development Authority by the executing agency, National Projects Construction Corporation Limited (NPCC) yet, as some minor finishing work is still pending. Once the handover is complete, the Cuttack Development Authority will conduct a transparent bidding process to select an agency for the operation and maintenance of the parks.”
In the petition, Kedar Prusty, a former member of town level advisory committee, said maintenance of both monuments is vital as they are major landmarks and tourist destinations in Cuttack city.The petition contended, “The engagement of an agency, without competitive bidding, poses a risk to the museum’s long-term maintenance and operational excellence,” Prusty said.
The petition alleged that the Cuttack Development Authority (CDA) is “proceeding to award work to a specific agency to provide manpower to be engaged in the park in Bidanasi project area and Museum at Odia Bazar without floating a tender.”
Prusty cited a reply given by the minister of housing & urban development on the floor of the legislative assembly on Dec 10, 2024. “The minister categorically replied that CDA would conduct a transparent bidding process to select an agency for the operation and maintenance of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Birthplace Museum and Biju Patnaik Park, and it would be done as per law.”
When the petition was taken up on Jan 22, advocate Lalit Kumar Maharana made submissions on behalf of the petitioner. But the court was apparently not impressed.
The two-judge bench of acting Chief Justice Arindam Sinha and Justice M S Sahoo said, “On query made, we have not been shown specific allegations made of either that workers have already been engaged or they have not been, except an allegation that the work is being awarded to a private service provider agency.”
The petitioner relied on an extracted record of question and answer from the proceedings of the legislative assembly on Dec 10, 2024.
Accordingly, the bench disposed of the petition saying: “We are not inclined to direct issuance of notice. Instead, we direct the petitioner to obtain a certified copy of this order and communicate it to CDA and CMC, and they are to be thereby made aware of the answer given by the minister, for the authorities to act accordingly.”
The Biju Patnaik Park, developed by CDA over 35 acres and opened to the public in 2010 at a nominal fee of Rs 2, was later closed due to poor maintenance. Currently, CDA has engaged the National Project Construction Corporation (NPCC) for a renovation project scheduled for completion by March 15.
The Netaji Birthplace Museum building has 15 galleries and infrastructure around it is being developed over six acres with an auditorium, yoga centre, food court, along with a light and sound show interpretation centre on the life and times of Netaji.
The extract of the minister’s reply in the legislative assembly reproduced in the HC order read: “The Netaji Museum and Biju Pattnaik Park will not be handed over to the Cuttack Development Authority by the executing agency, National Projects Construction Corporation Limited (NPCC) yet, as some minor finishing work is still pending. Once the handover is complete, the Cuttack Development Authority will conduct a transparent bidding process to select an agency for the operation and maintenance of the parks.”
