The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Senate House renovation stopped

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Friday, Mar 09, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Senate House renovation stopped

K. Ramachandran

Denied their payment, the contractors have refused to continue the work

WORK STALLED: Restoration and renovation work at the Senate House on the University of Madras' Chepauk campus has come to a standstill. — Photo: V.Ganesan

CHENNAI: Renovation work at the stately Senate House in the University of Madras' Chepauk campus, started with great fanfare in 2004-05, has come to a standstill.

Conservationists and members of INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage), who took up the restoration work, say the university is refusing to pay up the balance of more than Rs.60 lakh to the contracting companies. Denied their payment, the contractors have refused to continue the work.

For their part, university officials say the renovation work cost has already overshot original estimates and it will be difficult to continue it without a clear mandate for further expenditure.

P.T. Krishnan, architect, and INTACH's nominee in the Senate House Renovation Committee's, told The Hindu that the work indeed has not progressed since January.

On the university's contention about the expenditure overshooting estimates, Mr. Krishnan said the Syndicate in November 2003 and later in February 2004 approved the "Cost plus method" for the restoration work as per the technical report and considering the heritage nature of the Senate House and the norms accepted by the Archaeological Society of India (ASI). The main work was entrusted to L& T, Chennai.

The resolution passed by the Syndicate, which includes half a dozen senior government officials, noted that the work estimates prepared would be based on the detailed estimate for measurable items, administrative sanction accorded and the budget allocation made. Works were then to be approved. Payments were to be withheld until approval was accorded.

"The renovation and rectification works," the resolution stated, "are not amenable to accurate estimates by detailed measurements before execution. Any estimate for these works are made on rough assessment only. While carrying out these works, the actual requirement varies depending on the condition of the building noted during the execution. The Senate House renovation works are of that nature only."

It added that the works were to be carried out according to the actual requirement under the formal approval of the Renovation Working Committee. "Payment may have to be made without interruption to ensure progress as per programme," the resolution noted.

Those involved in the project acknowledge that the projected cost was Rs.6 crore under different packages. But the Syndicate resolution itself stated that the final cost would be known only when the project reached completion.

Mr. Krishnan says a Senate House Restoration and Maintenance Trust was formed in June 2004 — a move approved by the Syndicate. The Trustees included the Vice-Chancellor, the Higher Education Secretary, Syndicate nominees, an INTACH nominee and two non-governmental nominees.

From September 2003 to August 2006, the Trust raised Rs.5.39 crore through donations and other collections. The expenditure incurred during the period was Rs.6.42 crore. An empowered Senate House Renovation Working committee including Mr. Krishnan, and retired ASI official B. Narasimhaiah, decided on the packages of work. It allotted the work to organisations with specific expertise.

S.P. Thyagarajan, former Vice Chancellor, when contacted, said no payment was made from the university budget non-plan account. All payments were made only from funds mobilised specifically for the Renovation Fund Account. He agreed with Mr. Krishnan that the final cost could come to Rs.7.35 crore or slightly more, as some of the structures in the southern side of the building had extensive damage that needed to be repaired. Opinion from legal and accounting experts had been secured for the costing and expenditure, he said adding that every single rupee raised or spent was accounted for and available for inspection any time.

When contacted, Vice-Chancellor S. Ramachandran said the State Government had allotted Rs.1 crore from the Heritage Fund as additional funds. But the decision was revoked later.

To a question, he said the university would have to take a decision on how to fund the rest of the project. Payments of Rs.60 lakh had been stopped.

The Syndicate should mandate the expenditure and the available funds had all been exhausted.

"I am not suspecting anyone's intention or that anyone had committed any impropriety in the project. But the expenditure should be authorised by the university bodies. We are asking the contractors to continue the work pending this approval," he said.

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