Cost increases four-fold due to inordinate delay

By K.N.Reddy

BIDAR, AUG. 15. While it is noteworthy that the Public Works Department (PWD), on the one hand, is trying to complete at a feverish pace the construction of 100 new bridges in the State to ensure better road linkages, it is, on the other hand, turning a Nelson's eye to the completing the construction of bridges which have been partly built over several years.

Two such bridges which need immediate attention are the Kandagul and Chillargi bridges across the Manjra in Bidar District.

The work on these bridges -- one connecting Bidar taluk with Aurad taluk (Kandagul), and the other connecting Bidar District with Narayankhed, Nizamabad, and other places in Andhra Pradesh -- has stopped for the last four years.

These two inter-State bridges, which are vital for commuting between Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh are an example of how such delay in execution of projects can affect costs besides causing hardship to the public.

The bridges also serve as an example of how lack of co-ordination between Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh can affect the completion of inter-State projects. Thanks to the delay, the revised estimates for these bridges is said to be Rs. 20 crores as against Rs. 5.3 crores in 1988.

The Kandagul and Chillargi bridges were conceived in the early 1980s following construction of a reservoir

across the Manjra near Singur village in Medak District in Andhra Pradesh. The reservoir was planned to augment the supply of water to the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad.

The backwaters of the Singur Project extends up to Janawada village in Bidar taluk. As the depth of water in the river at Chillargi and Kandagul villages is 8.70 m and 5.90 m. respectively when the reservoir is full, several border villages in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh are cut off. Therefore, to compensate for the inconvenience caused to the people following the construction of the Singur Reservoir, the Andhra Pradesh Government agreed to bear the cost of constructing the two bridges.

An order to this effect was issued in 1984. However, it took four years for the two governments to prepare plans, estimates (Rs. 2.5 crores for Chillargi and Rs. 2.8 crores for Kandagul at 1988 rates), and to complete other formalities. Administrative approval was given to the projects in September 1988.

Thereafter, it took three years to finalise the contractor and hand over the construction to a Hyderabad-based company on a "lumpsum" basis. The "lumpsum" amount quoted by the contractor for the Chillargi and the Kandagul bridges was Rs. 360.50 lakhs and Rs. 403.50 lakhs respectively, and the deadline set was 1995.

But there was an inordinate delay in releasing the funds in 1992 and 1994 by the Andhra Pradesh Government which affected the execution of works. The Andhra Pradesh Government has so far deposited an amount of Rs. 10.45 crores for the two bridges.

In the case of the Chillargi bridge, the foundation and substructure work of all piers and abutments have been completed. The bridge is proposed to have 25 spans of 23 m. length each centre to centre. While the approaches on both sides of the bridge have been completed, the super structure works are yet to be completed. The expenditure incurred so far on this bridge, including the cost of land acquisition, is Rs 457.45 lakhs.

In the case of the Kandagul bridge, the foundation and sub- structure work of all piers and abutments have been completed. Sixtynine pre-stressed concrete beams have been cast and set in the required position. But the RCC deck slab work is yet to commence. The expenditure incurred so far on this work, including the approaches, land acquisition, etc. is Rs. 555.67 lakhs.

Sources in the PWD here told THE HINDU that the contractor abandoned the work in 1997 demanding revision of costs at current rates.The revised cost as per current schedule of rates works out to Rs.20 crores. The contractor's claims were submitted to the Chief Engineer, C&B (North), Dharwad, in January 2001, for approval.

Since water has been impounded in the reservoir, the link between the villages on either sides of the river has been cut off. People have to use boats to cross the river.The immediate task before the State Government is to take up the matter with the Andhra Pradesh Government and persuade it to release the funds to complete the construction of the bridges at the earliest. Further delay will render whatever works completed so far waste.

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