Flyover project hits roadblock

Flyover project hits roadblock
Deccan Herald

The Uttar Pradesh State Bridges Corporation has challenged the BDA’s decision to terminate contract.

Airport Road and Bannerghatta Road are likely to remain choked and bumpy for at least another year with the work on the flyover project having been suspended because of a legal tangle.

Ever since the termination of contract with the Uttar Pradesh State Bridges Corporation (a UP government-run agency) three months ago, work on the project has stopped and the BDA has not been able to invite fresh tenders. It has been forced into a legal battle as the irked UPSBC has got the re-tendering process stayed. As a result of this, the project sites have turned into motorists’ nightmare.

A Division Bench of the High Court has stayed till May 23 the single Bench order which upheld the BDA’s termination of the contract with UPSBC and its move to re-tender the contract, BDA sources told Deccan Herald.

UPSBC dragged BDA to court again, challenging its move to terminate the contract and not allowing it to participate in the re-tender. “As per the single Bench order, we had allowed them (UPSBC) to participate. But they have now stayed the order itself,” officials explained.

A similar fate befell the delayed Jayadeva underpass (which was also awarded to UPSBC and later terminated). BDA terminated the contract as the contractor failed to meet deadlines, besides demanding a hike in the estimated cost. It was in November 2003 that work on both the projects commenced. Originally they were scheduled to be completed by April 2004.

While nearly 70 per cent of the flyover project, worth around Rs 25 crore, is pending, about 80 per cent of the underpass work (worth Rs 10.5 crore) is yet to be completed. BDA has fixed eight months for completion of both projects under the new tender from the date of commencement of work, sources said. According to official sources, BDA almost completed re-tendering process (barring UPSBC) last month when the single-Bench judgement directed it to allow UPSBC also to participate in re-tendering for both projects.

As a result, BDA had to further extend the tender period, officials said. “When BDA was almost ready to open tender biddings, came the stay till May 23, and the tangle may go on for some time. Even if work resumes next month, both projects will be completed only by March 2006,” officials said.