Vadodara: Contractors ask BCA to reconsider cost escalation

VADODARA: The cost of the international cricket stadium coming up at Kotambi may escalate further. Firms involved in the construction of the stadium have made yet another demand to reconsider the cost escalation terms that were agreed upon two months ago.
Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) management said that it will have to be discussed in the apex council meeting.
“The contractors had earlier asked for increasing the cost considering the rise in prices of raw material. Two months ago, BCA had agreed to give a raise of a certain percentage,” said Sheetal Mehta, vice-president, BCA.
“The management had, however, agreed to consider the rise in payment from September 2021, whereas the construction had started in April 2021. The construction firms are now saying that they want the cost escalation from April. The apex council will have to meet again and discuss this demand,” Mehta told TOI.
If the BCA management agrees to this demand, then the cost of the stadium may go up further. The stadium is being built at a decent pace but the cost issues with the construction firms have been a spot of bother for the association.
The firms had earlier cited the rise in the prices of raw material and labour wages to demand cost escalation for the project.
In June this year, one of the contractors had even put the association on notice asking the management to decide on the price rise within five days. Considering the firms’ demands, BCA had agreed to give a rise of some percentage and the contractors had continued with the work.
BCA president Pranav Amin has said that the project is well on track and they are expecting the construction to be over by this year’s end. The association may ask for the one-day international (ODI) and IPL matches by next year.