Construction of India’s longest steel bridge in Bengaluru, stuck due to cost hike by 41 percent
Bengaluru, June 2: BDA had planned to construct 6.97 km long steel bridge between Chalukya Junction and Hebbal Flyover to ease the traffic flow on Kempegowda International Airport road. The state government sanctioned Rs 1,350 crore for the project and in accordance the BDA called for bidders for its most ambitious project. In return, international builders overwhelmingly responded but demanded more funds for the project. In the last financial year, the State government allocated Rs 150 crores as additional fund for the project and finalized the blueprint of the structure.
However, L and T and Navyug companies pocketed the project. According to the deal, the project was supposed to start in the month of June this year and completed by December, 2017. But, again in the month of May this year, the companies which won the contract submitted another report to ministry concerned, stating that the project requires Rs 1950 crores and demanded further additional funds to be released immediately to take up the project.
Now, it’s for the ministry to decide, whether to go ahead with the same builders or not.
According to the bylaws of PWD department, if the cost of a project shoots up beyond 26 percent of the estimated cost or lowered down to lesser then 16 percent, the project plan file has to tabled again in the ministry and BDA departments and the whole process should be restarted.
In this point of view, the project is not likely to get started in near future. This particular project is said to be one of the very few pet projects of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. If the project is realised within the CM’s present term, it will be a monumental structure that adds Siddaramaiah’s name to the club of the greatest contributors of Bengaluru city.
It will stand along as Vikas Soudha attributed to SM Krishna, Vidhana Soudha to Kengal Hanumanthaiah and others.
Meanwhile, as estimated, the 18-feet-high bridge requires 60,000 tons of steel and demands 5,000 odd labourers.
Adding one another to such countless incidents, BDA is now struck with its most ambitious project till date. BDA’s plan to construct country’s longest steel bridge has again met a rock-hard obstacle as the constructors have put forth the estimated cost to be increased by 41 percent.
Source: News Karnataka.com
