The Hindu 22.12.2010
Special roads scheme works to commence immediately
| Contractors asked to submit weekly progress reports |
In a huddle: Corporation Commissioner T.T.Balsamy chairing a meeting with contractors in Tiruchi on Tuesday.
TIRUCHI: The Tiruchi Corporation has directed its contractors to commence immediately all road development works sanctioned under the Special Roads Scheme 2010-11.
The State government has sanctioned Rs.25.19 crore to the Corporation under the scheme. The Corporation would take up 286 works, including 127 black topped roads and 159 cement concrete roads, in the city. Under the scheme, priority was accorded for relaying or strengthening of roads that have not been re-laid over the past five years or those damaged owing to natural calamities. Contracts for the works have already been awarded in 15 packages.
Contractors, who have not commenced the works so far, have been asked to do so immediately.
They have also been directed to submit weekly progress reports along with photographic proof, T.T.Balsamy, Commissioner, said after chairing a meeting with contractors and Corporation engineers to discuss the implementation of the scheme here on Tuesday.
Speaking to The Hindu, Mr.Balsamy said the Corporation has already received the first instalment of Rs.12.50 crore under the scheme and funds was not a constraint. The Corporation would clear the bills on a monthly basis based on the progress shown by the contractors.
Any problem with respect to the clearance of bills or any other issue would be sorted by the respective Corporation assistant executive engineers and junior engineers. The Corporation would also offer assistance in procuring raw material, if there was any problem in this regard, he said.
Mr.Balsamy asked the contractors to immediately commence the works though the final layer of black topping and cement concrete could be laid after the end of the monsoon.
Though the works are scheduled to the completed by March 31, the Corporation was pushing the contractors to complete the works much earlier.
The Commissioner, answering a query, said patch works would be taken up on rain damaged roads (that are not covered under the special roads scheme) soon and the expenditure would be met from the Corporation general fund.
City Engineer S.Raja Mohamed, Executive Engineer S.Arunachalam and other officials attended the meeting.
