Concretization of 6 roads in limbo

Nagpur: Citizens will have to bear potholes and poor surface layer on six of the nine roads, which are remaining to be concretized under the Cement Concrete Road Project phase-I, for three more years. While granting Unity Infraprojects Private Limited an early exit from the project, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has decided to appoint a new contractor to concretize the nine roads even though works cannot be taken up on six due to various hurdles.
Unity was to concretize 30 roads (26.84km) in two years after taking up the contract on June 6, 2011. But the company could concretize only 12 roads (8.43km) while it has started work on 8 (8.55km).

Citing liquidation, Unity had sought exit from the project. The NMC approved it but also asked Unity to complete the ongoing works in six months.

The new contractor, who is yet to be appointed, will be given a three-year target to complete the project. If there is any cost escalation, Unity will have to bear it.

Sources from NMC and Unity told TOI that works on six roads cannot start. Acquisition of huge land including residential houses is required for Fawara Square to CP and Berar College to Ramji Pahelwan Square Road. The NMC has only recently received funds for it.

On the Mokshadham Square to MSRTC bus stop square road, a British-era sewage trunk line has to be shifted or abandoned by laying a new line. Similarly, there are problems of water pipelines, encroachments, electricity poles and sewage lines on the other four roads.

Unity had wanted to drop these six roads from phase-I. “But the NMC engineers decided to go ahead with the plan,” said sources.

An NMC official said dropping of six roads would have resulted in a loss. “Since Unity will pay for any cost escalation, we have decided to solve the issues and concretize the roads,” he said.

The six roads are in very poor condition. The NMC has not asphalted them as they were to be concretized. Only potholes are being repaired after complaints from citizens and corporators.