Contractors to set sports complex fees in Ahmedabad
The tender mentions leasing out of SRFDCL’s two sports arenas – at Paldi and Shahpur – that comprise of gyms, swimming pools and tennis courts on PPP basis. The operations will be for a period of three years with a scope for extension of the contract for another two years.
However, experts said that, in the sports complex bids, the SRFDCL has allowed the bidders to bid on Rs 40 lakh offload price plus Rs 37 lakh property tax and 18% GST. The bidder who quotes a higher base price will be allotted the job. The civic body had invited bids on January 10 and received two technical bids which were opened on February 14.
The price bids will be opened within the next few days. According to experts, allowing the operator to fix the fee structure after winning the bid will allow his firm to charge higher fees which may not be affordable to common citizens.
On July 18, 2022, SRFDCL handed over all 14 gaming courts of the Paldi sports complex to Ahmedabad Tennis Association (ATA) for ‘operations and maintenance’ for three years without conducting the competitive bidding process.
A proposal was placed before the SRFDCL board, seeking exemption from the bidding process which was sanctioned unanimously. Going by the revenue sharing model in the contract, the SRFDCL was to get 20% of the annual revenue while the remaining 80% of revenue was to go to the ATA which excused itself.
However, the SRFDCL’s move was vehemently resisted by the AMC’s standing committee chairman and one of the directors on the SRFDCL board, Hitesh Barot. They had questioned how a government-run company could hand over a public-funded sports complex to a private agency without competitive bidding.
The Paldi riverfront sports complex consists of four cricket pitches, five tennis courts, four multiple sports courts, two courts each for volleyball and basketball, a pickleball court, gymnasium, skating rink, skateboard arena, 800-metre jogging tracks, children’s play area and two food courts.