Over 110 million AMD for the elevators of underpasses not installed

Last year, the Municipality of Yerevan signed contracts with QaylTech CJSC to install horizontal elevators in underpasses. According to the contract signed on June 21, the company undertook to install horizontal elevators in 9 underpasses of the city. The value of the contract was about 98.5 million AMD, and according to the contract signed on June 22, the same company already undertook to install 2 horizontal elevators on the Victory Bridge for 12.5 million AMD. In the case of the first contract, the deadline for implementation was set at 75 days after the disbursement of funds, while the deadline for the implementation of the second contract was 60 days.

Two months later, on August 22 and 23, an agreement was signed between the Municipality and QaylTech CJSC, confirming the disbursement of funds. In other words, it can be stated that the time allotted for the installation of horizontal elevators started on August 22 and 23, 2023.

8 months have passed since the conclusion of the agreement, and the Fact Investigation Platform decided to visit those addresses to find out the condition of the elevators.

It was revealed that out of 9 underpasses, elevators have been installed only in underpass near Closed Market on Mashtots avenue, in the underpass near school No. 76 on Baghramyan avenue and in the underpass near Komitas market. However, none of these elevators is functional at the moment, since it was impossible to use the elevator due to regular repair work in the Closed Market underpass, while in the other two underpasses, although the elevators were installed, they were not yet put into operation, and were not turned on. According to local traders, both elevators were installed about a month ago.

Only steel guide rails were installed on Isakov Avenue, in the underpass near Kilikia bus station.

In the other 5 underpasses (Russia cinema, market on Garegin Nzhdeh street, Komitas 38, Victory Park, intersection of Gai Avenue-Safaryan and Nelson Stepanyan streets) not even a trace of the installation of elevators has been found until now.

As for the separate contract signed between the Yerevan Municipality and the QaylTech company for the installation of two horizontal elevators on the steps of the Victory Bridge, there were no traces of any work done either.

In other words, it turns out that the contracts signed last year, according to which elevators were to be installed in 10 underpasses of the city, were not completely fulfilled. Moreover, there is no indication that works are being carried out and will be completed within the forthcoming days.

To our inquiry as to what measures the municipality took with respect to the company’s failure to fulfill the contract, we were told that the Municipality is aware of the supplier’s delay in fulfilling contractual obligations and after completing the works and delivering the act of performance, the Municipality will impose an administrative penalty on the supplier in accordance with the contract.

Both contracts stipulate that in case of violation of the periods of delivery of the supplies, a penalty of 0.05 percent of the value of the undelivered supply shall be charged for each delayed working day. In other words, as of the end of April, the number of delayed working days is already about 110.

While this article was being drafted, the Municipality informed that at this moment the company has resumed the installation of horizontal elevators in the underpasses of Kilikia bus station. It should be reiterated that steel guide rails were already installed in the said underpass.

QaylTech company was established in June 2020. According to the State Revenue Committee, the company operates in the field of information technology and computer equipment. However, the services provided by this company as stated in the Armeps procurement system include exclusively the installation of ramps and elevators.

Davit Arsenyan, the co-founder of the company and the owner of 51 percent of its shares, is the cousin of Vahagn Arsenyan, the Mayor of Jermuk consolidated community.

Sevada Ghazaryan