Work on the much-delayed Cochin Cancer Research Centre at Kalamassery could resume by the month-end once the legal hurdles are cleared as per the estimates by Infrastructure Kerala Ltd. (Inkel), which is implementing the project.
The case filed by the contractor, whose contract was terminated for delay and poor work, is expected to come up before a Division Bench of the Kerala High Court on August 24. Inkel had floated a new tender after the services of the contractor were terminated by the funding agency Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) on January 31.
Mohanlal, Managing Director of Inkel, said that the new contractor had received the work order to complete the project within 18 months. The preparatory works are complete, he said.
It has been seven years since the foundation stone for the centre was laid on August 18, 2014. Work on the project began in July 2018. The total project cost is ₹379 crore, including specialised medical equipment for the centre.
Dr. N.K. Sanil Kumar, member of the Justice V.R Krishna Iyer Movement that had spearheaded the campaign for the cancer centre, urged Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to speed up the work on the project. The project has come to a standstill over the last seven months, he said.
A communication issued by the organisation said that the construction equipment used by the previous contractor is still lying at the worksite.
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