BMC prepares tenders for new roads

Seniors in the department said 129 of 171 major (wider than 30 feet) and 300 of 600 minor roads proposed in the 2011-12 fiscal had been completed. The remaining 42 major roads would be taken up after monsoon,they said.

The department has raised the minimum tender package from Rs 15-20 crore to Rs 50-150 crore to attract big firms such as Larsen & Toubro,Hindustan Construction Company,Simplex Infrastructure,J Kumar and Unity Infra Limited.

Almost half of the Rs 950 crore woud be spent on developing roads in western suburbs. Contracts for 127 roads in the island city and 30 concrete and 43 asphalt roads in western suburbs have been finalised and are awaiting civic administration approval.

Design consultants and IIT peer review are scrutinising new roads in eastern suburbs.

Chief engineer (roads) Ramesh Ghodke said,“Work on 20 [major roads,which was started but could not be completed on time,has been brought to a ‘safe’ mode. Construction activities have been stopped for the four months of monsoon. The work will resume on October 1.”

In addition to the delay in floating tenders for the 600 minor roads,the election code of conduct forced BMC to issue the work order as late as on February 22,2012.

Of the 51 major roads in western suburbs,work on 50 has been completed and of the 163 minor roads,62 remain unfinished.

“The 51st road is half-complete. Work on minor roads should be completed by January,” said an official. In the island city,67 of 134 minor roads have been completed. “All major roads have been completed. The remaining 25 to 30 per cent work on concrete roads in the island city should be completed by December,” he said.

Of the 129 major roads completed,five are in the island city,12 in western suburbs and 16 in eastern suburbs. A total of 96 asphalt roads have been completed — 24 in the city,36 in western suburbs and 36 in eastern suburbs.