AAI slept over new maintenance contract

AAI slept over new maintenance contract
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

NEW DELHI, DEC 18: It took Jyotsana Jethani's death for the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to wake up from its slumber. Though Otis, lift and escalator manufacturers, had submitted a proposal to renew the maintenance contract in August, the AAI hadn't yet decided on it till the day of the mishap.

Otis wrote to AAI on Thursday to know the latest on its renewal proposal submitted in August. It is learnt that AAI wrote back on Friday to say that the terms had been accepted and the contract would be renewed ``from current date.''

The Annual Maintenance Contract (AMC) of the east wing escalator at IGI Airport had expired on September 30. When Jyotsana died on Monday morning, officials claimed, the AAI and Otis were still ``negotiating'' the terms of the contract.

Despite claims by the AAI officials that the contract has already been renewed, Otis issued a statement on Friday evening saying: ``The maintenance contract with AAI expired on September 30, 1999 and has not been renewed to date, by theauthorities.''

``The renewed contract will be signed when they are ready,'' M K Panicker, general manager, Otis said. However, sources say that the AAI on Friday agreed to renew the contract.

The Indira Gandhi International Airport Director H S Bains, when contacted, reiterated that the contract has been renewed from October 1. At the time of the accident, ``it was in the process of being renewed,'' Bains said. He said that the contract was being renewed as a matter of routine. Countering allegations that the AAI was pressuring Otis into signing a back-dated contract, Bains said: ``Just because there has been an accident, people are taking different stances. There is an absolute mutual understanding for maintenance of the escalator by Otis. They have been doing it.''

Sources revealed that the contract had expired in March following which the AAI gave them a six-month extension. ``The company then submitted a fresh proposal for renewal of the contract on August 30. All this while, there have beeninquiries and negotiations but no new contract has been signed by the two,'' a source said.

Bains said that the delay was caused because the AAI and Otis were ``negotiating the rates.'' The maintenance of the escalator costs the AAI about Rs 50 lakh per year, sources said. On the other hand, Otis' general manager Panicker said that the new rates were based on material and labour indices set by the Government. ``There is no question of over-charging,'' he added.

Otis claimed that despite the contract having expired, it continued to service the escalator and the last servicing was carried out on November 25.In its statement on Friday, Otis also indicated that it is not being given permission to investigate. ``It is critical that Otis is given an opportunity to hold an in-depth investigation in the presence of observers, to establish facts. Necessary permissions have not been received as yet,'' the statement released by Otis on Friday said. On the other hand, Airport Director H S Bains said, ``I have notrefused anyone permission.''

Truck accident at airport

Three men were critically injured when a truck, filled with mortar, overturned at a construction site at Indira Gandhi International Airport on Friday afternoon.

The incident occurred at 4.30 pm. The truck carrying construction material was headed for a construction site at the airport when a shaft broke and the truck overturned. Kartar Singh (50), Surjeet Singh (25) and driver Kanhayia received head injuries. The three were rushed to the Safdarjung hospital.