UNION OF INDIA Vs. TANTIA CONSTRUCTION PVT LTD

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The sole Respondent, M/s. Tantia Construction Pvt. Ltd., filed writ petition, being CWJC No. 14055 of 2008, against the Petitioners herein, inter alia, for the issuance of a writ in the nature of Certiorari for quashing the order dated 18th August, 2008, passed by the Deputy Chief Engineer (Construction), Ganga Rail Bridge, East Central Railway, Dighaghat, Patna, calling upon the Respondent Company to execute the enlarged/extended quantity of the contract work pursuant to Tender No. 76 of 06-07. Further relief has been prayed for by the Respondent Company for a writ in the nature of Mandamus directing the Petitioners herein to let it complete the reduced quantity of work relating to the construction of the Rail Over-Bridge at Bailey Road, which did not include the additional work in respect of the extended portion of the Viaduct and to close the contract and, thereafter, to make payment for the contract work which it had executed pursuant to the aforesaid Tender.

(2.) During the hearing of the writ petition several issues were identified regarding the Petitioners right to force the Company to execute the additional work of constructing the Viaduct which was neither within the scope of the work nor within the schedule of work comprised in Tender No. 76 of 06-07. A connected issue was also identified as to whether in a Risk and Cost Tender, the nature of work provided for in the Tender could be altered and whether such action would be in violation of Articles 14 and 19(1)(g) of the Constitution of India, besides being against the principles of natural justice and contrary to the clauses in the General Conditions of Contract included in the Tender document.

(3.) It appears that on 12th December, 2006, the East Central Railways (ECR) invited Risk and Cost Tender No. 76 of 06-07 for the work of construction of a Rail Over-Bridge at Bailey Road over the proposed Railway Alignment over the Ganga Bridge at Patna for an approximate cost of Rs. 15.42 crores. The Tender documents provided that the contract work was to be completed within 15 months from the date of issuance of the letter of acceptance. Upon the tenders being opened on 27th December, 2006, the contract was awarded to the Respondent Company and a letter of acceptance was issued to the Respondent Company on 12th/13th February, 2007. The contract work was accepted at a cost of Rs. 19,11,02,221.84p. and an agreement was thereafter entered into between the East Central Railways and the Respondent Company in respect of the contract work, whereby a Rail Over-Bridge was to be constructed with two abutments on both sides and three piers in between. The work also included 500 meters of approach road with Reinforced Earth Retaining Walls to a maximum height of 15 meters on both sides of the Rail Over-Bridge.