TRDCL to repair Crip roads

Thiruvananthapuram: Things have a come full circle for Kerala Road Fund Board (KRFB) as they failed to find any takers for the renovation of corridors under City Roads Improvement Project (Crip) and ended up assigning the task to the concessionaire, Thiruvananthapuram Road Development Company Limited (TRDCL) itself. The KRFB, the facilitator of Crip, was pushed to the point of inviting a tender for works to renovate some stretches of Crip after the concessionaire showed reluctance to take up the work, which was part of the agreement.
Even after inviting tenders for the renovation of stretches such as Attakulangara-Enchakkal, Nalumukku-Uppidamoodu-Choorakkattupalayam, Bakery junction-Thampanoor ROB, Pattom-Kowdiar road and Ulloor-Kochuloor, the KRFB failed to find a contractor. In fact, they didn’t get a single bid for the tenders. The works were invited as two separate tenders worth Rs 1.44 crore and Rs. 2.3 crore.
The KRFB decided to renovate stretches after the stretches had failed in a bump integrator test in 2016 and 2017. However, TRDCL challenged it. Following this, the KRFB conducted a third-party test with the support of National Transportation Planning and Research Centre, where it was again proved that there was deterioration in quality in 19 km stretch in nine corridors. As TRDCL refused to overlay at the stretches, the PWD withheld around Rs 20.83 crore from the annuity amount.
Sources said that TRDCL had finally agreed to do the work and it would begin soon. “They have decided to do the work and has arranged materials for the restoration of the Medical College-Ulloor stretch. However, these materials got damaged in the recent rain and they had to find a replacement. Now it was decided to take up the work only if there is a dry period of 2-3 days,” sources said.
The KRFB is giving priority to the Medical College-Ulloor stretch as it is a major road used by emergency vehicles and is in a totally dilapidated condition.
As per concession agreement, the concessionaire should complete the rectification within 24 hours to one month. In case of failure to do the maintenance, the KRFB can arrange work and the concessionaire will be liable to reimburse one-and-a-half times the cost to KRFB. The KRFB faced sharp criticism from Comptroller and Auditor General last year for failure to meet the operation and maintenance responsibilities of the concessionaire. As per the project, TRDCL is responsible for maintaining the 42-km stretch developed under CRIP for 15 years.