MVR 740 Million Project Assigned to Indian Company without Bidding

An Indian company has been assigned a number of projects required by Maldives Police Service (MPS) worth USD 48 million (about MVR 740 million) without a competitive tendering process.

The agreement with ABL Indira Projects was signed on behalf of MPS by Commissioner of Police Mohamed Hameed. Chairman of ABL Indira Projects Bhupesh Nagarajan signed the contract on the company's behalf. 61 police facilities and infrastructure are to be constructed under the agreement.

This includes the construction of a custodial facility and the development of two existing buildings in Dhoonidhoo, 23 police stations within atolls, 21 police posts, police stations in eight atolls, a police station in Male', and a police station and four accommodation buildings in Hulhumale' Phase 2. The project was assigned to the Indian company without a bidding process.

Police claimed that the project to be completed within two years will facilitate the expansion of police stations across the country, and aid in providing modern democratic services to the public in accordance with a decentralized system. They further stated the project would establish international-standard detention facilities and complete the basic requirements of police stations.

After signing the agreement, CP Hameed stated that the project is the largest development project conducted by MPS, and claimed that along with human resources, rules and regulations, democratic policies that hold police accountable, infrastructural resources are essential to serving the public in keeping with a community policing philosophy.

The loan agreement between the Maldivian government and India's EXIM Bank dictates that 85 percent of the project will be funded by the EXIM Bank. In addition to CP Hameed and the Founder and Chairman of ABL Indira Projects Bhupesh Nagarajan, the signing was also attended by the High Commissioner of India to Maldives Sunjay Sudhir, police officials, and officials of the Indian High Commission.