Contractors given an ultimatum

Contractors given an ultimatum
Minister Sets Deadline For Underpasses
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bangalore: “Complete work by this June. Otherwise you will be blacklisted or even face criminal charges,’’ That’s district incharge and transport minister R Ashok’s ultimatum to contractors handling the two stagnant underpass projects at Puttenahalli and Kadrenahalli.
Both the projects were taken up as turn key lumpsum contracts under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) early last year to be completed in ten months. Ashok, who inspected both these sites on Tuesday, was angry with the way the projects were being delayed. “They wake up when we visit, then drop back to sleep until we come again. Eventually, the projects will die,’’ he told reporters. He blamed both the contractors and the overseeing civic officials for this. He said many contractors prevented efficient players from entering in by bidding low and then delaying the process citing lame excuses.
“There has been no shortage of funds in either case till date, it’s more a delay in execution and innumerable excuses,’’ he said. Much of the progress has only been in terms of BBMP imposing penalty on contractors for delay while contractors repeatedly writing to palike citing reasons for delay.
Funded under JNNURM, such delays can prove fatal for development and further funding, he said. He has called for a meeting on January 15 with BBMP, BWSSB and Bescom officials and the contractors.
Work on the is 600-m Kittur Rani Chennamma Circle flyover near the Deve Gowda petrol bunk in Padmanabhanagar is expected to begin in March. The DPR for this Rs 30-crore project is ready and the tenders will be floated in the next 15 days. “But it will be awarded only to efficient contractors,’’ the minister promised.
UNDERPASSES UNDER PROGRESS
Underpass at Puttenahalli-Ring Road junction Project cost: Rs 22.99 cr Awarded to: Engineering Projects India (EPI) Limited, Delhi. Date of start: May 12, 2008 (actual date: March 17, 2008) Deadline: March 11, 2009 (actual date: January 16, 2009) Overview: The underpass expected to reduce traffic congestion on roads connecting JP Nagar, Sarakki and Bannerghatta Road by at least 39%. The 465-metre underpass is presently a deep ditch — highly unlikely to be completed in 10 months.
Underpass at Kadirenahalli
Project cost: Rs 28.72 cr
Awarded to: M/s Madhava Hytech- Brahmaputra (JV).
Date of start: May 12, 2008 (actual date: March 17, 2008).
Deadline: March 11, 2009 (actual date: January 16, 2009).
Overview: The 387.81-metre underpass now a huge dusty excavated site is also unlikely to be completed in 10 months. The only additional reason here is delay in permission for rock blasting.
HURDLES
Inefficient contractors Problems in land acquisition Shifting of utility lines Permission for rock blast on hold (at Kadrenahalli)