When will Airport Rd, Jayadeva flyovers take off?

When will Airport Rd, Jayadeva flyovers take off?
The Times of India

Bangalore: The ups and downs of the Arkavathy Layout formation process has acted as a smokescreen for something equally important for the city — completion of the Jayadeva and Airport Road flyover projects.

Now, because of the delay in re-tendering both the flyover projects, the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) is losing heavily in both time and money.

Initially, both were supposed to be ready by April last year. Then the contractor — Uttar Pradesh State Bridge Corporation (UPSBC) — abandoned work citing lack of payment for cost escalation. So, early last month, the BDA opened fresh tenders for both projects giving six months’ time as the deadline for Jayadeva and nine months as that for the Airport Road project.

The re-tendering was to be finalised by March 31, but got stalled after UPSBC went to court. While UPSBC petitions were dismissed, the BDA officials say the court allowed UPSBC to participate in the fresh tenders. Now, the BDA is waiting for a certified copy of the court order before finalising re-tendering process. Cost escalation: The BDA has already extended its project deadlines three times. Last month, a BDA official had told the Sunday Times of India that the work yet to be completed with the Airport Road-Inner Ring Road flyover, would now cost Rs 26.5 crore — nearly as much as the original estimate for the entire project. He also said that the Jayadeva circle underpass would cost Rs 10.3 crore: Rs 2.5 crore more than estimated.

The main ramp of the Jayadeva hospital flyover was opened in February.

History: Work on Airport Road-Inner Ring Road flyover was initially awarded to UPSBC for Rs 26.69 crore in February 2003. The contractor only did one-third of the work. In the case of the Jayadeva flyover, UPSBC bagged the contract in February 2003 for Rs 17.56 crore and was supposed to finish by April 2004. The project was later extended up to February 2005.
Now, officials add that revised cost estimates will be made after BDA gets the certified copy. “Since this a short-term e-tender, it will not take too much time,” they add.