The Times of India 12.04.2013
BMC sets July deadline for Unit IV market
BHUBANESWAR: Wary of the inordinate delay in commissioning of the proposed market-cum-office complex at Unit-IV, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has set July deadline for the completion of the six-storeyed building.
The ultimatum was served following a visit of the technical committee of BMC to the site on Wednesday. BMC officials have also asked the private developer to furnish necessary documents relating to building approval plan (original and revised) and other test-certificates.
"The developer has assured us to hand over possession by July. Construction work is almost complete," said BMC's executive engineer (division-II) Ashok Kumar Parida.
Surprisingly, the proposed market complex on nearly two lakh square feet built-up area has been under construction for the past 12 years.
"Work for the PPP project started in 2001," Parida said. But he could not cite any reason for the delay.
Sources said the BMC secured the government's permission to build the market complex in the 883 decimal land in July 1998. The civic body signed an agreement with the private developer to construct the complex in February 1999, following which, construction work took off in 2011.
According to the deal, the builder would get 65% of the shops and BMC 35%. The BMC had given the developer time till 2007 to complete the project.
However, about 86 displaced vendors of Unit-IV had thrown spanner in the construction work and moved the Orissa high court in 2002. Work resumed after the matter ended on a compromise. The vendors were assured that they would be given space in the market complex. At present, they have been running their business from small kiosks near the fish market in Unit-IV.
Sources in the municipal corporation revealed that the construction work was further delayed owing to a dispute between the civic body and builder over sharing of the property.
"The builder had in 2010 completed some portions of the complex and wanted to sell its share of the property. BMC opposed the move and asked the developer to sell its share only after completion of the whole building," an officer said.
The ultimatum was served following a visit of the technical committee of BMC to the site on Wednesday. BMC officials have also asked the private developer to furnish necessary documents relating to building approval plan (original and revised) and other test-certificates.
"The developer has assured us to hand over possession by July. Construction work is almost complete," said BMC's executive engineer (division-II) Ashok Kumar Parida.
Surprisingly, the proposed market complex on nearly two lakh square feet built-up area has been under construction for the past 12 years.
"Work for the PPP project started in 2001," Parida said. But he could not cite any reason for the delay.
Sources said the BMC secured the government's permission to build the market complex in the 883 decimal land in July 1998. The civic body signed an agreement with the private developer to construct the complex in February 1999, following which, construction work took off in 2011.
According to the deal, the builder would get 65% of the shops and BMC 35%. The BMC had given the developer time till 2007 to complete the project.
However, about 86 displaced vendors of Unit-IV had thrown spanner in the construction work and moved the Orissa high court in 2002. Work resumed after the matter ended on a compromise. The vendors were assured that they would be given space in the market complex. At present, they have been running their business from small kiosks near the fish market in Unit-IV.
Sources in the municipal corporation revealed that the construction work was further delayed owing to a dispute between the civic body and builder over sharing of the property.
"The builder had in 2010 completed some portions of the complex and wanted to sell its share of the property. BMC opposed the move and asked the developer to sell its share only after completion of the whole building," an officer said.
