MMRDA to give preference to local bidders

Mumbai: The Mumbai Metropoli-tan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) will have to replace the Centre’s ‘Make in India’ policy, which mandates that 70 per cent of coaches be procured from within the country. However, the authority has decided that there will be purchase preference for Indian bidders, which implies that if the lowest bid is quoted by an Indian company and a foreign company, preference will be given to the former.

It is learned that the ‘Make in India’ policy did not sit well with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) which is funding the metro projects. The state had earlier decided to relax the policy conditions. The conditions will be finalised soon and the tenders for the rakes will be floated by next week, confirmed  U.P.S. Madan, metropolitan commissioner. Mr Madan said, “As per the clauses, there are price preferences as well as purchase preferences, but we have requested that purchase benefits and not price benefits be considered. The ‘Make in India’ policy has been replaced by purchase preference for local bidders. The conditions will be ready soon and we will invite tenders for the rakes by next week.”

The Asian Age was the first to report on February 25 this year that the authority had decided to relax the policy.