Public Works Minister G. Sudhakaran and the consortium entrusted with the construction of the Alappuzha bypass are on a collision course over extension of the deadline for completing the project.
Mr. Sudhakaran last week said no further extension would be given to the contractor for the completion of the project.
“The construction firm had sought an extension till September. We have given them time till August 31 to complete the project. If it failed to complete the work in time, the government will blacklist it,” he had said.
However, representatives of the consortium comprising RDS Project Ltd and Cheriyan Varkey Construction Company said the deadline of August 31 was not realistic. “We have sought an extension of six months in May 2018. We have not yet received any official communication from the government on extending the deadline. The delay in getting nod from Railways for the safety plan submitted for the construction of two rail overbridges (ROBs) has hampered the progress of the project. We cannot commence the construction of the ROBs without getting the necessary nod from Railways. As such, it is not possible to complete the project by August 31,” a representative of the consortium told The Hindu.
This is not the first time both parties have traded barbs over the project. The Minister had previously blamed the firm for the delay in completing the project.
The bypass work, which got under way on April 10, 2015 was originally set to be completed in September 2017. However, the project got delayed on account of various reasons and the deadline was initially extended to May 28, 2018. Officials said only about 85% of the project had been completed so far. The pending work included construction of two ROBs at Malikamukku and Kuthirapanthy.
Once completed, the bypass is expected to bring relief to Alappuzha town, which has been witnessing traffic snarls on its arterial roads. The bypass will also ensure smooth movement of traffic between the State capital and the State’s commercial hub and beyond.