Hardly a week or ten days have passed when Rs. 77 crore Bikram Chowk flyover project was inaugurated by the Chief Minister with great fanfare that complaints of unworthiness of the flyover have begun to pour in and with some curious details. The complaints are that the ride over the flyover is bumpy and fraught with serious danger of vehicles sliding down and ending up in fatal accidents. The complaints have come from common people who rode their vehicles and came to the conclusion. Comparing the ride with those of the other flyover in the city, the difference was clear and loud. On contacting some experienced and retired Chief Engineers of R&B Department, a number of technical flaws in the flyover were reflected and even it was warned that if immediately repair work was not done, there could be the apprehension of some serious accidents happening at any time.
This apart, it is intriguing to know that the contract for the construction was given to Maharashtra based firm, Balecha Constructions Pvt. Ltd, which have the expertise in the field. This firm took its share and sub-let the work to a Kashmir based firm United Jhelum Road and Builders, having not much expertise in the field. While the top ERA officials claimed that this project is tie-up between the Balecha Constructions of Mumbai and Kashmir based firm but the naked truth is that this entire project was completely handled by the Kashmir based firm.
A number of questions arise. Was Balecha Construction Company, the one with which the contract was signed authorized to sublet it to another Company? Was it not necessary to inform the State Government and seek their permission for subletting it to a firm especially when the firm had no experience of constructing flyovers? Furthermore, was it not mandatory for the State R&B engineering branch to keep close watch on the construction when in progress? Why did they not stop the work when they found that it was lacking technical expertise and smoothness? Who are the political bigwigs who enjoyed unrevealed connection with the Kashmir based Jhelum Construction, the company which actually executed the project? These questions shall have to be probed into.
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