Hyderabad-based BAC Infratech Pvt. Ltd. has a heavy commercial footprint in Meghalaya. The state accounts for roughly 94% of the company’s outstanding order book, largely driven by massive public water supply and infrastructure contracts
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, May 17: In a glaring case of preferential treatment, a relatively new Hyderabad-based company is being systematically favoured with PHE projects across Meghalaya, even as local contractors struggle to secure government contracts in their own state.
At a time when local contractors of Meghalaya are finding it difficult to win bids, BAC Infratech Pvt. Ltd., a company incorporated in 2014, has been allotted PHE projects right and left to the tune of thousands of crores, indicating clear favouritism in the allotment of most PHE projects in the state.
The Hyderabad-based EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) company, has a heavy commercial footprint in Meghalaya.
The state accounts for roughly 94% of the company’s outstanding order book, largely driven by massive public water supply and infrastructure contracts.
An RTI filed by The Shillong Times found that the firm has increasingly emerged as a major player in Meghalaya’s public infrastructure sector, particularly in water supply and allied projects. As per the RTI details, the company has been allotted projects in every district of Meghalaya ranging from shifting of utilities to construction of water supply schemes to the tune of Rs 1,900 crore.
The RTI obtained from the PHE Department revealed that BAC Infratech Pvt. Ltd. was allotted the work of shifting of PHE utilities due to construction of the Shillong-Dawki Road under GSWSS Division 1 at a sanctioned amount of Rs 9.24 crore. The firm was also allotted the Lawsohtun Water Supply Scheme at a sanctioned cost of Rs 10.69 crore. Under Ampati Division, the Boldamgre Combined Water Supply Scheme was allotted to the company at a sanctioned amount of Rs 20.64 crore. In Jowai, the firm received the Wahiajer Water Supply Scheme worth Rs 35.94 crore and the construction of the Greater Shangpung Water Supply Scheme at a cost of Rs 48.23 crore.
In Nongpoh Division, the company was allotted the Construction of Jorabat Water Supply Scheme at Rs 13.13 crore, the work at Raid Nongtluh at Rs 51.23 crore, and construction of inter and intra village works for Greater Nongpoh Water Supply at a cost of Rs 107.59 crore. The company was also awarded the construction of Umshillong, Lummawnei, Umthlong, Mawiong and Block 13 Water Supply Schemes at a combined cost of Rs 95.38 crore.
In Tura North Division, BAC Infratech received the construction of water supply system for augmentation of Nekikona Combined Water Supply at a cost of Rs 60.36 crore, augmentation of Chibinang water supply system at Rs 12.55 crore, construction of Kaimbatapara water supply system at Rs 18.64 crore, Babilgre water supply system at Rs 38.91 crore, Tikrikilla Water Supply System at Rs 109.46 crore, Bikonggre supply system at Rs 58.78 crore, and extension of pipelines for the Sakmal combined supply system at Rs 20.95 crore.
The Hills Division allotted the New Shillong Township Water Supply Scheme to the firm at a sanctioned amount of Rs 538.44 crore, which was recently escalated to Rs 772 crore. In Tura Division, the company was allotted the Augmentation of Greater Garobadha Water Supply Scheme at Rs 108.93 crore, augmentation of Rongram Ganolgre supply system at Rs 20.84 crore, and the Construction of Bulk Water Supply to adjoining rural villages of Tura town at a cost of Rs 97.77 crore.
The firm further secured the Williamnagar water supply scheme (Phase 1) at a cost of Rs 121 crore in Williamnagar, the Construction of Greater Sohra Supply Scheme at Rs 24.81 crore in Sohra Division, the Greater Baghmara Supply Scheme at Rs 63.50 crore, and the Construction of Inter and Intra village works of Greater Mairang Supply Scheme at Rs 98.45 crore.
The Electrical Division Mawphlang also allotted several projects to BAC Infratech. These include shifting of utilities due to construction of Shillong Dawki Road at a cost of Rs 38.58 crore, construction of Swer Mawrah Rangtmah Combined Supply Scheme at Rs 45.60 crore, Laitkroh Mawbeh Combined Supply Scheme at Rs 50.10 crore, providing water supply to EAC at Rs 7.49 crore, among some other minor works.
While every company has the right to take and execute projects by following all procedures, the massive concentration of contracts in favour of this relatively new firm has triggered intense political debate and public scrutiny. Sources and publicly available information suggest that almost 100% of major water infrastructure projects in Meghalaya have been awarded to BAC Infratech, which has no evident presence in large-scale projects in other states.
Political critics and opposition voices have increasingly questioned whether such rapid expansion and concentration of government contracts, including water infrastructure and stadium-related works, could occur without strong political backing. Last year, former MDC of Balachanda, Sofiur Rehman, had raised serious questions over the ongoing Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) projects in the plain belt, pointing fingers at BAC Infratech and claiming the company was being unduly favoured.
Development and infrastructure expansion are undoubtedly welcome. However, questions continue to persist as to how such a comparatively young enterprise has managed to secure such a substantial concentration of public projects in Meghalaya within such a short span of time. The lack of transparency in procurement and the absence of detailed public disclosures about the company’s ownership continue to fuel debate and suspicion.
