CLEAN TAKE: Pre-cast girder construction method

HYDERABAD: After several false starts and deadline extensions, the Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad (MCH) has finally managed to narrow down contractors for the flyovers to come up at Punjagutta and Greenlands. Firms were earlier selected for the Nalgonda crossroads and Chandrayangutta projects.

Yet, despite the delays, MCH has also managed to save an incredible Rs. 20 crores! And now it is to spend Rs. 70 crores not the Rs. 90 crores estimated initially for flyovers and related ground-level works. With cost escalation the usual `norm' in Government contracts, this might sound unbelievable.

Senior MCH officials say this was made possible by reducing `burden' on contractors by changing work methodology of the Greenlands project, removing certain ground-related works like laying service roads and intense competition among bidders.

Punjagutta flyover of 1.7 km including two ramps -- from NFCL junction till Rajiv Gandhi statue -- will now cost Rs. 28.29 crores instead of the estimated Rs. 32.35 crores. Gammon India is likely to get the contract as its bid was "within our benchmark", disclosed an official.

Greenlands flyover of 1.1 km length -- from the Chief Minister's residence to Hyderabad Public School -- will now cost Rs. 13.3 crores though the benchmark was Rs. 17 crores and first offer was Rs. 22 crores! JMC Projects could get the contract. Work on these flyovers is considered tough due to busy traffic and innovative designs were mooted so as to cause `minimum inconvenience' to commuters.

Construction firms for Nalgonda (Venkat Rao) and Chandrayangutta (Madhava Hitec/ B. Seenaiah & Co) projects, both with estimates of Rs. 10 crores each, were selected in April. However, for the Punjagutta and Greenlands flyovers, bids were cancelled twice due to "excess" quotations.

Construction method

While it will be pre-cast girder segmental construction for Punjagutta, for Greenlands it will be pre-cast girder methods like the other three flyovers (see picture).

This will help avoid piling up of construction material on roads. "Once pillars come up, there will be less obstruction for traffic," averred an official.

Work on the first two projects, sluggish thus far, is picking up with the Government agreeing to give alternative two-acre land for the Disabled Welfare Department at Nalgonda. MCH will relocate affected training centres.

In Chandrayangutta, `disagreements' over the final design with the contractor resulted in the hold-up and were sorted out, claim MCH officials.

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