Chennai, Nov 22 : BJP leader K. Annamalai has accused the Greater Chennai Corporation of illegally extending the deadline for a massive waste collection contract worth Rs 4,000 crore, claiming the move was designed to favour a particular company and potentially enable large-scale corruption.

He demanded that the tender be cancelled immediately and that a full investigation be launched into the decision.

The Corporation had invited bids in July from private companies for door-to-door waste collection services in the Tondiarpet and Anna Nagar zones.

The 10-year contract is valued at approximately Rs 4,000 crore.

According to Annamalai, the tender had already been postponed four times before the final deadline was set for 3 p.m. on Thursday. By that time, three firms had submitted their bids.

Annamalai alleged that, in violation of procurement rules, the Corporation extended the deadline by an additional day, announcing November 21 as the new cut-off, after the official window had closed.

Following this last-minute change, one more company entered the tender process. He claimed the extension appeared to be a calculated move aimed at helping a specific company, particularly because the authorities became aware of the bid values of the first three participants once the deadline had passed.

Allowing a new entrant after assessing the bid details, he said, compromised the fairness and integrity of the entire process.

Annamalai noted that tender extensions after the deadline are not only prohibited but also severely undermine the transparency that public contracts demand.

The three companies that complied with the original deadline were unfairly disadvantaged, he said, adding that such a violation casts doubt on the motives behind the extension.

Given the substantial financial value of the contract, Annamalai argued that the circumstances strongly point to an attempt to facilitate corruption.

"This is not a minor procedural violation - it is a deliberate rule breach that opens the door to a Rs 4,000-crore scam," he alleged.

He urged the Chennai Corporation to cancel the tender immediately, publish the details of the company that originally qualified as of the November 20 deadline, and explain the reasons behind the questionable extension.

Annamalai also demanded a thorough inquiry to identify those responsible for altering the deadline after closure. He said the Corporation must act swiftly to restore transparency and accountability in what he described as a "highly suspicious and irregular tender process".

/IANS