Deccan Herald 15.06.2013
No takers for Palike's SWD projects
Poor response from contractors to the tenders
is preventing the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) from
executing a few crucial stormwater drain (SWD) projects.
Chief
Engineer (SWD) H C Ananthaswamy attributed the poor response to the
nature of the work. “It is generally difficult and a lot of contractors
keep away from such projects,” he told Deccan Herald.
A case in point is a damaged retaining wall on Ittamadu main road.
Residents,
especially schoolchildren who take the narrow stretch here, face
problems. “There were many instances of the drain overflowing. Sometimes
the water/sewage level is higher than the existing wall, which is
dangerous,” said J Shekar, a resident.
Besides, residents complain that there is an immediate need to increase the height of the wall.
Stating
that the Palike has called for tenders again, given the lack of
interest the first time, Ananthaswamy said: “We have identified the
problem and are working towards solving it. But all procedures have to
be followed.”
However, the Palike has not been able to attract
contractors for the repair of the stretch a few metre off the main road,
where several houses have encroached the drain.
“People just do not
understand. They have encroached on such a large portion of the drain
that there is clogging, which will soon result in overflowing,” a
representative of the contractor, who was demolishing the houses, said.
The
Palike will also construct huge walls to prevent encroachment in the
future. But, the representative said, it would be of no use.
“We have done this in the past in other areas, people just break it and build houses,” the representative said.
