At the Sabarimala Ayyappa Swamy Temple, during the opening of the shrine and the Mandala-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season, it is customary for restaurants, snack stalls, book stalls, and similar outlets owned by the Devaswom Board in areas including Sannidhanam and Pampa to be auctioned.
For all these years, the auction for Sabarimala shops had been held directly at the Sumangali Mandapam. However, contractors who had been operating there for many years formed a syndicate and, after discussing among themselves in advance and reaching an understanding, would customarily bid for very low auction amounts.
If the board administration refuses to reduce the amount, they will all band together and stay away from participating in the auction. By creating a situation in which no one comes forward to bid, they will pressure the board to first reduce the amount by 10 percent, and then by 25 to 50 percent.
To put an end to this collusive fraud and bring transparency, the Devaswom Board implemented the e-tender and e-auction system for the first time this year.
Online applications for this were received from September 16 to September 23. Meanwhile, after the deadline for submitting tenders had passed, it was found that the details and documents of new contractors who participated in the e-tender were photographed using a mobile phone and leaked to the old contractors.
Following this, one new contractor received an open threatening call saying that he should not participate in the tender and that they had been running the Sabarimala shops for many years. The affected contractor immediately appealed to the Devaswom Board chairman and also filed a complaint with the Devaswom Vigilance wing.
The departmental preliminary investigation exposed the employees’ conspiracy. These auction procedures are being handled by the Sabarimala division functioning under the Devaswom Commissioner’s office.
In this situation, 3 officials from the Sabarimala division of the Devaswom Commissioner’s office, suspected of having disclosed information related to the auction to outsiders, and officials from the Sabarimala Executive Officer’s office have now been brought under the close surveillance of the Devaswom Vigilance wing.
Vigilance officials have decided to examine their phone call records. At the same time, it has been reported that the board management is firm in its stance that it will not reduce the fixed tender amount, even if the shops remain shut without being auctioned.
According to the Devaswom Board’s rules, the minimum base amount for the shops had been fixed in advance. For large restaurants, the minimum amount was set at Rs. 2 crore 41 lakh 77 thousand 218; for snack bars, Rs. 1 crore 15 lakh 53 thousand 213; for other commercial stalls, from Rs. 4 lakh to Rs. 32.11 lakh; and for bookstalls, Rs. 8.95 lakh.
Clear rules had been laid down stating that contractors who bid below the fixed base amount would be immediately disqualified, and that the contract would be awarded to the bidder quoting the highest amount.
Contractors, with the help of officials, have attempted to violate these very rules. After the irregularity was confirmed, the Devaswom Board administration abruptly canceled the e-auction and has immediately initiated new bidding procedures.
Regarding this, Devaswom Department Minister K. Muraleedharan said, "The decision taken by the Devaswom Board in the e-tender matter is very correct and well-intentioned. The government fully supports this firm action by the Board. It is only a few officials within our organization who are causing such problems.
The Vigilance Department has been entrusted with the responsibility of conducting a thorough investigation into the irregularities that have taken place in the e-tender procedures. It has also been ordered to submit a comprehensive report within the next three days.
All remaining auction procedures will be fully completed by October 15. The forces trying to disrupt the tender procedures are within our own department structure. Once the detailed investigation report is received, whoever is at fault will face uncompromisingly strict action," he said.