THANE: The highly publicised flyover project of the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) coming up over the Kapurbavdi junction is still struggling from initial problems. The state-owned corporation has still not awarded the work orders to the short listed contractor due to which the work on the much awaited project is getting delayed.
According to information, the joint venture between Nagarjuna Constructions and J Kumar Constructions has not been given the work order so far. This is despite the fact that the MSRDC had assured the firms of giving the orders to start the work since the end of May.
The contractors have unofficially admitted to the delay in the issue of the work order but declined to say anything in public. The firms have, however, expressed the hope that the state-owned Road Corporation would flag off the project in the near future.
Interestingly, the issue of work order has been kept on hold since the beginning March this year after the tenders worth around Rs 135 crore were awarded to the joint venture firms. The MSRDC had then claimed the enactment of the Model Code of Conduct guidelines in the wake of the previous national polls as the reason for the delay. The guidelines came into force from March 2 and lasted till May 20.
It was claimed by the state corporation that the work order would be issued to the short-listed contractors immediately after the end of the guideline period on May 20. More than two months have passed by and still the MSRDC files have not been able to break free of red tape. The contractors are being told that the orders would be issued soon and the last assurances were given on Friday last.
The bungling on the part of the MSRDC has delayed the start of one of the most badly needed flyovers within the limits of the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) so far. Even irate protests by members of the public as well as some political parties on the road at the Kapurbavdi junction on June 15 have failed to break the ice.
courtesy:www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com
