Shenyang Yuanda Intellectual Industry Group of China was contracted to install additional elevators in the Hiya residential towers for USD 18 million (MVR 278 million), Housing Development Corporation (HDC) Managing Director Fazul Rasheed has said.
He told the Parliament's Public Accounts Committee on Wednesday that it was the cost of installing 32 elevators in 16 towers.
Adhadhu earlier reported, citing officials from companies that do elevator installation work, that the Chinese company was contracted at an unusually high rate.
When Adhadhu filed for information under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, HDC refused to provide the value of the contract and the amount that had been paid under the contract.
The installation of additional elevators in Hiya towers was included in the budget approved for this year as part of the government's 100-day agenda.
The amount budgeted at the time was MVR 200 million. However, the amount for the project was revised and written as MVR 108 million in the state budget for next year.
