Kerala - Kannur   

Tardy progress of work on rail overbridge

Staff Reporter

Lack of steps to complete construction

KANNUR: Uncertainty dogs the fate of the rail overbridge at Muzhappilangad on the National Highway, between Kannur and Thalassery, as the State Government fails to take steps to complete the construction even after the contract was terminated six months ago.

The rail overbridge at Muzhappilangad, estimated to cost Rs.12.51 crore, is one of the 20 such bridges proposed to be constructed in the State to replace level-crossings as per an agreement between the State Government and the Railway. It is also one of the 18 rail overbridges to be constructed on a cost-sharing basis.

The State Government had entrusted the State-controlled Roads and Bridges Development Corporation of Kerala (RBDCK) with the planning and execution of the rail overbridges. Of the eight overbridges proposed to be built in Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasaragod districts, the ones at Neeleswaram in Kasaragod, Chengottukavu, Vellayil, Vengali, Meenchanda and Vengalam in Kozhikode have been completed. The work on the rail overbridge at Nandi Bazar in Kozhikode is in progress.

The contract for the rail overbridge at Muzhappilangad, given to K.S. & Company, was terminated by the RBDCK on December 8, 2006.

“The State Government has not initiated any action against the contractor other than terminating his contract,” said T. Asafali, advocate and president of the People Council for Civil Rights, who invoked the Right to Information Act to obtain information regarding the contract.

Initially, the work was awarded to the Mumbai-based Simplex Concrete Piles Ltd. The company could not complete the work within the stipulated time of one year due to the delay in acquiring land and getting the drawings approved by the Railways. The firm demanded cost escalation for continuing the work. However, the agreement was foreclosed on August 26, 2004 citing the absence of provision for cost escalation.

The work was re-tendered and awarded to K.S. & Company, which commenced work on the rail overbridge on November 1, 2004. The company was directed to complete the work within a year. It completed the work on the overbridge, except on the portions within the railway boundary.

Following the delay in securing the Railway Safety Commissioner’s approval, the period of the contract was extended to December 31, 2006. According to the RBDCK, the contractor failed to start the work on the three railway spans. The contract was thus terminated on December 8, 2006.

While the Simplex Concrete Piles Ltd. had been paid Rs.180 lakh by the RBDCK, the K.S. & Company was given Rs.254 lakh. The RBDCK has again re-tendered the work. The RBDCK said it had received only one offer and had placed the offer before its board of directors. Negotiations with the new contracting company are on, the RBDCK said. The memorandum of understanding signed between the State Government and the Railways states that the two would periodically review the progress of the work. According to sources, the contractor’s firm which submitted the offer in response to the RBDCK’s re-tender, demanded higher cost estimate to complete the work on the rail overbrige. As the negotiations continue, the work on the rail overbridge at Muzhappilangad hangs in a limbo remains much to the inconvenience of the people in the district.

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