BBMP admits to underpass folly

BBMP admits to underpass folly


Express News Service
First Published : 27 Nov 2008 10:13:42 AM IST
Last Updated : 27 Nov 2008 10:52:52 AM IST

BANGALORE
: BBMP on Wednesday admitted that work on the controversy-ridden Cauvery underpass had been undertaken and completed, even before its Detailed Project Report (DPR) was approved by the government.

Responding to an expose in The Express, BBMP explained that though any project costing more than Rs one crore needs approval from the government, it was during the initiation of the project that the government was also toying with the idea of enhancing the BBMP’s administrative sanction powers to projects costing up to Rs 3 crore.

In a press release, BBMP stated: “As the relevant government order was about to be issued, the BBMP Commissioner had been requested orally to keep such files at the BBMP-level for the time being.” On the difference in the project cost - DPR vs actuals - the BBMP said that DPR costs are estimates and do not include cost revisions as per the current schedule of rates and the tender premium. The actual cost of completion of projects would always be higher than the DPR cost, BBMP noted. It further says: The cost is Rs 192.45 lakh and not Rs 225 lakh.

The increase must be compared with tender cost and not DPR cost.

Further, the actual cost is Rs 192.45 lakh against tender cost of Rs 168.23 lakh. The increased cost is well within the sanctioning powers of the commissioner, it said.