The Deccan Chronicle 08.09.2010
Rain stagnates Rs 78 cr infrastructure worksSept. 7: Infrastructure projects worth Rs 78 crore are lying stagnant over the last two months due to unusual showers in and around the city. According to Ripon Buildings sources, tenders worth over Rs 56 crore have been settled for the current fiscal and about Rs 30 crore for works related to interior road repairing are pending across the 10 zones of Chennai corporation. The recent rains have also marginally affected the stormwater drain construction and park restoration works.
Chief engineer of Chennai corporation P. Murugesan said, “Private contractors and pavers who bagged the road repair and re-laying tenders are idle since the first spells of rains that struck around mid August. The contractors fear that the rains could affect the work and could cause huge loss in revenue due to substandard finishing, thus affecting their bill payment,” he explained.
Private corporation contractor N. Sridhar said, “Cost of one load of tar and bitumen mix weighing around 26 tonne is around Rs 80,000 but the entire load will become unusable even if there is a drizzle. Whenever there is rain, the contractors abandon the work due to this reason.”
Corporation commissioner Mr Rajesh Lakhoni admitted that the civic works have been delayed due to the rains and said that the Corporation was planning to re-lay the battered roads during the day. Field engineers have also been instructed to get permit from local police to work in day time, he said.
