Outsourcing held up by RFP delays
*Idle infrastructure sparks stakeholders’ concern
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Sept 22: About two years have passed since the completion of the ambitious Mantalai Yoga and Wellness Complex, yet the gates of the sprawling facility remain shut and the obstacle is unending bureaucratic process of finalizing the Request for Proposal (RFP) for outsourcing.
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Crores of rupees were utilized for creating a world-class destination under the Prime Minister’s Development Package, complete with a Yoga Centre, Ayurveda spa, eco-log huts, meditation enclave, heliport, amphitheatre, herbal gardens and modern utilities. The project was designed to place Jammu on the global map of wellness and spiritual tourism.
However, nearly two years after its completion, the entire project stands idle, watched over only by a handful of security staff. Official sources told EXCELSIOR that the delay stems from the inordinate time being taken to finalize the Request for Proposal (RFP) that will determine how the project is outsourced.
They informed that the Transaction Advisor appointed to prepare the Request for Proposal (RFP) had submitted a draft to the committee of officers. However, the committee suggested certain changes, and the draft is now being revised accordingly.
“Recently, the financials of the Request for Proposal (RFP)—that is, the cost-related details to be included, submitted or evaluated as part of the process, were finalized. These now need to be incorporated into the final RFP document, which, once completed, will be submitted to the Government for its final decision”, sources said.
Expressing their inability to specify a time-frame for outsourcing the huge assets, officials said, “the process itself is lengthy and multi-step. Once the Request for Proposal (RFP) is finalized and approved, bids are invited from potential vendors and pre-bid meetings may be held to clarify requirements”.
“Submitted proposals are first evaluated technically and only those meeting the criteria move to financial assessment. Based on this evaluation, the most suitable bidder is shortlisted, and, if permitted, negotiations on terms or pricing may follow. The final recommendations are then submitted to the competent authority or Government for approval. Only after this approval is the contract awarded. Given the number of stages involved, it is impossible to specify a definite timeline for the outsourcing exercise”, they added.
“Until the RFP sees the light of the day, Mantalai’s grand infrastructure spread over 450 kanals will remain an expensive but silent testament to delay”, they remarked.
Expressing concern over prolonged delay, the local tourism operators said, “the Mantalai project had the potential to attract domestic and international tourists, creating jobs and boosting local businesses. Every season that passes without it being operational is a lost opportunity for the region”, adding “investing crores in such a facility and leaving it unused raises questions about planning and execution. The RFP delays have turned a promising tourism and wellness hub into a symbol of administrative inertia”.
Several attempts were made to seek comments from officers of the Tourism Department and the Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Development Corporation, but repeated telephonic calls went unanswered. However, one officer familiar with the developments regarding the RFP said, “hopefully, things will move faster now”.
It is pertinent to mention here that the project was sanctioned under Swadesh Darshan Scheme of the Government of India in order to carry forward the Himalayan Yoga and spiritual knowledge besides attracting domestic and foreign tourists. The work on all its components was completed by National Building Construction Corporation (NBCC) through Patel Engineering in September-October 2023.
In the month of November 2023, the Patnitop Development Authority (PDA) took over the assets from the company after completion of all the necessary formalities and thereafter a private security agency was engaged to ensure watch and ward of the world class infrastructure.
The Mantalai project features world-class infrastructure spread over 450 kanals, including a Yoga Centre with meditation halls, exhibition spaces, and counselling rooms; a six-storey Wellness Spa and Ayurveda Complex; a Tourist Facilitation Centre with a conference hall, museum, and money exchange; eco-log huts, an eco-park with herbal gardens and poly houses for vegetables and floriculture; a meditation enclave in an apple orchard; a heliport with ambulance shed; an open-air amphitheatre with green rooms; and water and waste management facilities.
The campus also includes walking and jogging tracks, children’s activity zones, fountains, and battery-operated cars for visitor mobility, complemented by informational and ecological signage.
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