Ejipura flyover contractor blames BBMP for delay
BENGALURU: The construction company, BSCPL — which has taken up the Ejipura flyover project, has stated that it has enough workers to carry out the project and reports of lack of staff is not true.
Some BBMP officials misled Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on the works during their visit to the project site recently, sources said. The delay is not because of the contractor but the BBMP as Palike engineers are yet to hand over precast segments lying on private land for the last four years.
An official from the construction firm said 55 segments and 34 bearings of the flyover that are crucial for bridge construction are lying at Sakalvara in Bannerghatta at Vijaya Babu Reddy’s land for the last four years and BBMP has failed to hand over these items.
“The Palike has already paid the amount for the materials to the previous contractor, who abandoned the work. Now, the landowner who allowed the materials to be dumped on his 5.5-acre land is asking for Rs 2 crore as rent. How are we responsible for that,” asked the BSCPL staffer.
Also, the clearance certificate from IISc to commence the project was given recently. BBMP top officials, who had no knowledge of these developments, misguided the CM, he contended.
The BBMP did not find any contractor to take up the abandoned flyover work that connects South East to East and West Bengaluru through its 2.5 km flyover from Sony World Junction to Kendriya Sadan in Koramangala. Through the efforts of local MLA Ramalinga Reddy, the Hyderabad-based construction giant BSCPL agreed to take over the project. The BBMP entered into an agreement with the construction company and as per that, Rs 8.80 crore mobilisation fund was to be handed over to the company, but only 75% of it has been given, sources said.
The contractor, in a letter to the BBMP, also mentioned that reports that no workers being available to carry out the works is not true and it has engaged enough staff. On BSCPL’s contention about clearing the rentals for the landowner, BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath said, “We have made mobilisation fund available to the contractor, who was expected to clear the rent through that money, get material and resume the work.”
