The Indian Express 09.03.2013
Pipeline delays trauma centre, jacks up cost
The Trauma Centre at Jogeshwari planned by the civic administration
has been delayed by almost an year leading to a Rs 14-crore cost
escalation. The delay was attributed to a misjudgement by the private
consultant appointed for the Rs 106-croreproject.
It was expected to be completed last year and now be ready only
by September. The consultant had apparently failed to trace an
underground pipeline at site, officials said.
The civic officials have found a 1,200-mm diameter underground pipeline where the hospital basement will be located.
The consultant did not know about the pipeline at the plot. It
was not possible to shift the water main as the plot is small. The
pipeline bursting and posing a risk to the building in future was cannot
be ruled out, said a senior civic official.
The BMC will levy a penalty on the consultant. “The construction
is now being carried out in a way that repairs can be carried out
without causing much damage to the building. We have decided to
construct a wall around the pipeline for safety measures but this is
leading to delay and increase in the project cost,’ said city engineer,
Jeevan Patgaonkar.
