Asphalting project hits a roadblock

Asphalting project hits a roadblock

The Hindu

BANGALORE, JAN. 4. All is not well with an ambitious project of the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) to asphalt a thousand kilometres of roads.

Though the project, called "Complete blacktopping of roads," was launched in February 2004, heavy rain forced the civic body to stop work in June. When it resumed in November, contractors realised that prices of raw material needed for asphalting had gone up. They demanded an increase in project cost and stopped work abruptly.

While officials deny stoppage of the work, sources in BMP Council said the contractors have demanded a 10 per cent increase in the cost and have refused to resume work.

Now the civic body has decided to appoint a committee to study the contractors' demands.

"This committee will have officials and representatives of contractors. We will decide on increasing the cost after it gives its report. But work has not stopped," Rame Gowda, Engineer-in-Chief of the civic body, told The Hindu on Tuesday.

Corporators upset

However, corporators from all parties are upset that the project is hitting roadblocks often.

"The council has not met for the past two months because of one or the other reason. We want the Mayor, R. Narayanaswamy, to convene an emergency meeting to discuss the project immediately," the Bharatiya Janata Party leader B.N. Mangala said.

Sources said the contractors have demanded that the civic body repair dug-up roads and fill potholes before asphalting. They want it to include these points in the tender conditions, they added.

The contractors are worried because the cost of bitumen has shot up from Rs. 11,000 a tonne (in November 2003 when contracts were awarded) to Rs. 18,000 now, the sources said.

Consultants quit

Most private consultants appointed by the civic body to monitor the contractors' work and to ensure quality have discontinued work on the grounds that their contract with the BMP has expired.

The BMP entered into an agreement with the city-based consultants Wilber Smith, Span Consultants, Stup Consultants, Manasa Consultants, Sundharam Associates and ESC Consultants for six months from June.

The civic body has authorised them to issue notices to the contractors whose work is not up to the mark.

But Mr. Rame Gowda wondered how the Rs. 50-lakh contract can come to an end when it has hardly started. "There is no need for us to either extend the contract or renew it because their work starts only now. We completed asphalting of 70 km of road till June. The length of roads that have been upgraded after the project resumed in November is yet to be estimated. Work is going on in Sanjaynagar, HRBR Layout, Moodalpalya, Dasarahalli and Marenahalli," he said and added that the project will be completed by February as scheduled.