*Penalty of Rs 7 cr imposed on M/s PBA Infra Ltd
Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Jan 6: Even as the ERA authorities recently terminated the contract of Mumbai based firm which abandoned the work on Tawi bridge on Udhampur-Ramnagar road about four years back, the up-gradation of the Ramnagar Road project is still incomplete after the lapse of about nine years.
The up-gradation work on 27.73 kms long Udhampur (Roun Domail)-Ramnagar road was handed over to a Mumbai based company M/s PBA Infrastructure Ltd by ERA authorities during March 2007. December 2008 was fixed as the completion time of this project by the then Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad. But the performance of the firm remained very poor and it abandoned the work on vital Tawi bridge about four and half years back.
Funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), this Domail-Ramnagar upgradation road project worth Rs 37.48 crore was started with the initiative of Mr Azad on March 17, 2007. The then newly created Economic Reconstruction Agency (ERA) was given the task. ERA, further gave the contract to M/s PBA Infrastructure Ltd of Mumbai.
Unfortunately, even after the lapse of nine long years, the project is still incomplete as the Mumbai firm abandoned the work on the Tawi bridge and the State Government could not take any decision to impose penalty on the defaulters (PBA Ltd) and retender the remaining work on this vital bridge for long. Even the senior ERA officials for the last two years were giving plea that they were going to take action against contracting agency and re-tender the remaining work on this bridge.
But the fact remained that they failed to take decision since long and no penalty was imposed during this period on the firm and a population of over two lakh from Ramnagar and Dudu-Basantgarh Sub Divisions have been left to suffer for their no fault.
For this project, the cost of which further escalated to Rs 44.23 crore, the PBA Company was given at least four deadlines for the completion but due to criminal neglect on the part of company management and indifferent attitude of some ERA officials this project is still incomplete.
The pillars have been raised and hardly 10% work is left on the side piers. The superstructure is yet to be raised. Sources said that over two years were consumed in clearing design of bridge as it was changed twice and even the site was also shifted from down stream to up-stream. The company as per agreement asked to hike the project cost but the ERA officials wanted this work to be executed with the same cost even giving- two three extensions in time period to them. This is said to be the main reason behind the dispute.
MLA Ramnagar, R S Pathania accused ERA officials of mishandling the matter.
He said as per the project specifications, the formation width of the road was to be proposed as 9 meters from the old existing 5 mts, with intermediate lane of 5.5 mts. A total 62 culverts and six new bridges were proposed on this 27 km road. The completion time was given two years. Carriageway width (BT surface/Pucca road) was proposed to be 5.50 mts while width of drains and shoulders one mts and parapet 0.50 mts. A total 127 mt long double lane bridge was proposed on river Tawi near BSF Training Centre.
But by compromising specifications, the contracting agency has left many narrow curves on the road un-widened and only 24 pullis/ culverts were widened and made concrete. Even at many places road is even less than 7.5 meters in width. It was also proposed to have 50 mm dense Bituminous Macadam layer, 210 mm granular sub-base layer, 250 mm Wet Mix Macadam layer but the work was done in sheer violation of the laid down specifications and the quality was compromised. The road is still with ERA and R&B did not take up any maintenance work on it. The vehicles are plying on the old steel bridge which is single- lane. It has out-lived its life and is in dilapidated condition.
The MLA said that before the launch of this important project in March 2007, it was declared that the length of this upgraded road would be 21.5 kms but later, it remained 27.73 kms. The necessary cuttings at the curves were left and the local contractors due to political influence were given benefit. Even the big tralla can not reach Ramnagar as the project specifications were compromised and no one was punished for it. He said at many curves the road is so narrow that it raises questions on the performance of ERA and PBA company.
Referring to the delaying of work on Tawi bridge in Ramnagar, Pathania said that he had raised this issue in the Assembly in March 2015 and the Minister for R&B had assured to compete this bridge by December 2015 but this commitment was not fulfilled and he would bring privilege motion against the said Minister in coming session. The MLA said ERA must impose penalty on the defaulters and retender the work.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO), ERA (J&K) Vinod Sharma said that Mumbai based company M/s PBA Infra Ltd has been panelized and a penalty of Rs 7.1 crore has been imposed on it for delaying work and causing loss to the Government. He said the work has now been handed over to the R&B and this bridge is expected to be completed in next 6-7 months. Some token money to the R&B for the same bridge project has also been released.
Referring to the reason behind the delay, the CEO said, “I do not want to go into that details but the project was really delayed for about 8-9 years. Now, we have taken a bold decision. The contract of the Mumbai firm was terminated a week back and a heavy penalty of Rs 7.1 crore has been imposed on them. Their machinery and allied infrastructure is already with us at the site. Some financial problem was said to be the reason behind delaying of this work by that firm,” the CEO added.
Mr Sharma further said that ERA will be going tough on such contractors whose performance is below satisfaction. “Several ERA projects in the State are going slow and showing poor performance and the agency would not hesitate to terminate such contracts. The funding period of these ongoing projects is December 2016 fixed by Asian Development Bank and they have to complete the projects before this period,” the CEO maintained.
Chief Engineer R&B Jammu, Alok Mengi when contacted confirmed that ERA has handed over the remaining work of this bridge to them and some funds have also been released. He said the tender process is under way. The sub- structure of this bridge is almost ready and superstructure is expected to be completed within six months. Mr Mengi said that the project would be completed with the cost of Rs 7.5 crore.
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