In dock for Lalbaug bridge,firm gets another contract

The stretch is the part of the approach road from Dandia Bazar to under-construction bridge over Vishwamitri river near Akota. As per the original blue print of the 800 metre-long approach,360 metre stretch was to be a retaining-wall structure with culverts for storm water.

However,WAPCOS Limited,a central government enterprise,suggested that instead of retaining-walls,pile-up structure should be built. According to the new design,the 360 metre-stretch would be a bridge of super-structure nature.

But the change in design would increase the cost of the project by Rs 10 crore to around Rs 30 crore,WAPCOS officials said.

“Multimedia Consultant Private Limited is the PMC of the overbridge of Akota-Dandia Bazar. If this work is also assigned to the same firm,the work would be expedited,” the municipal commissioner said in the proposal dated March 3.

Multimedia,a Ahmedabad-based firm,is the PMC for Rs 44.50 crore overbridge stretch the Akota-Dandia Bazar link and it will get 2.2 per cent of the final project cost in consultancy fees.

The same firm was the PMC for Majaraja Sayajirao Gaekwad-III Railway Overbridge popularly known as Lalbuag overbridge. The Rs 50-crore overbridge had run into controversy when a BJP MLA and Congress alleged that the design of the bridge was flawed.

Leader of Opposition in VMC,Chinnam Gandhi,had gone on an indefinite strike demanding recovery from and black-listing of the PMC among other design. However,ruling BJP has not taken any action against the firm so far.