BBMP buckling under pressure from contractors’ cartel

BBMP buckling under pressure from contractors’ cartel

Krishnaprasad

Plans to construct underpass the conventional way instead of using magic box

— Photo: K. Murali Kumar

Preferred: A file photo of the magic box near Cauvery Junction in Bangalore. The magic box is not only cost-effective but also consumes less time.

Bangalore: Instead of building a cost-effective underpass using pre-cast technology at a cost of Rs. 2 crore to Rs. 3 crore, the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is reportedly planning to construct an underpass using conventional method by spending over Rs. 55 crore owing to pressure from a cartel of contractors, consultants and engineers.

According to highly placed sources in the BBMP, the cartel has partially succeeded in pressuring the administration to shelve the idea to build the underpass at Channamma Circle in Padmanabhanagar using pre-cast elements — popularly known as magic boxes.
Project report

A private firm, authorised by the BBMP, had submitted a detailed project report to build the underpass using conventional method at Channamma Circle and the report had indicated that the project would require about Rs 55 crore

However, following the successful implementation of cost-effective magic box underpasses on Sankey Road and Bellary Road, the BBMP had decided to use the cost-effective magic boxes to build underpass at Channamma Circle.

Sources said that it would require only about Rs. 2 crore to Rs. 3 crore to build underpass using magic box at Channamma Circle as against the high cost involved in conventional method.

Also, the underpass using magic box can be completed within two to three months (depending on weather) as against over two years required to build underpass using conventional method.

Moreover, some private properties adjacent to the circle have to be acquired to build underpass using conventional method and land acquisition would delay the process of commencement and completion, the sources added.
Profit margin

However, the sources said, the cartel is against the magic box concept as it does not give scope for huge profit margin and cost escalation, and is trying to project in poor light the concept of building magic box underpass, use of which successfully reduced traffic congestion on Sankey Road and Bellary Road.

“Why should the civic body spend over Rs. 50 crore from public money when a solution is available at a much lower cost without compromising on the quality?” is the question posed by frustrated officials.

Sources also said that the concept of low-cost magic box underpass faced opposition from the beginning (when it was first proposed at the Cauvery junction) from some groups within the government agencies — including the BBMP, the Bangalore Development Authority and the Public Works Department.

“Right from those who supply construction material to contractors and up to some top officials and engineers, everyone wants implementation of plans involving higher cost for obvious reasons, even though the purpose can be achieved incurring lesser cost and without compromising on quality,” the sources pointed out.

Only the time can tell whether the BBMP will use public money judiciously or will it succumb to the pressure from the cartel.