Contractor (M/s. Larsen & Toubro Limited) ₹ 5,682,350,343.00
Consultant –
(M/s. S.N.Bhobe & Associates Pvt. Ltd) ₹ 112,496,545.00
Proof checking – (IIT, Chennai) ₹ 5,506,200.00
Flag mast –
(M/s. Fluid and Power Automations LLP.) ₹ 2,364,527.00
Supply of National flags
(M/s. Advertising Flag, Mumbai)
–Tendered on 24th September 2019 ₹ 74,000
Supply of National flags
(M/s. Advertising Flag, Mumbai) –
Tendered on 29th January 2021 ₹ 42,454.00
Miscellaneous
Foundation stone ceremony expenses ₹ 837,719.00
River Morphology Study NIO ₹ 1,083,000.00
Plans and Survey ₹ 23,630.00
Tree Valuation and Forest Clearance ₹ 726,747.00
Electricity Dept Charges ₹ 405,065.00
Inauguration function expenses ₹ 4,219,332.00
Electricity Department Bill ₹ 594,771.00
Total Miscellaneous expenses ₹ 7,890,264.00
TOTAL ₹ 5,810,724,333.00
SURAJ NANDREKAR
PANAJI: On Wednesday, the PWD Minister Nilesh Cabral announced that the Government will ask IIT Chennai to study and submit a report on the frequent potholes on the “State of the Art” Atal Setu over the Mandovi river.
However, Mr Cabral seems to be oblivion to the fact that the IIT Chennai has already been a part of the construction team.
The IIT Chennai was entrusted with the job of proof checking and, as such has already charged the Goa government a huge sum of Rs 55,06,200. Despite this there is a defect in the “engineering marvel”.
So, the question is there any point in asking IIT Chennai to check for the reason for frequent potholes and submit a report?
The GSIDC awarded the Atal Setu project EPC contract to L&T Construction Heavy Civil Infrastructure IC. L&T Construction engaged L&T Infra Engineering as the detailed design consultant. GSIDC had appointed S.N. Bhobe & Associates Pvt. Ltd, Navi Mumbai as the owner’s Engineer.
The total length of the third cable-stayed Mandovi bridge is 4.2 km, and the Bridge is 21 m wide. Also, the project is being developed into a four-lane bridge.
Now the question is, who is responsible for the defect in the Bridge built at the cost of Rs 580 cr approximately? The contractor or the consultant.
Another fact is that the S N Bhobe & Associates, who handled the consultancy work of the multi-crore New Mandovi Bridge project, was blacklisted by the Gujarat government for the collapse of the Bridge in Gujarat. The company was a project management consultant for the flyover in which 10 workers died.
Following the collapse of the under-construction Athawalines flyover in Surat, investigators found negligence on the part of S N Bhobe. Blocklisting was initiated in 2014, and municipal commissioner Milind Torawane passed the order in 2015. Bhobe was blocklisted for five years, reveal documents.
But despite this, Goa Government paid Rs 10 crores to S N Bhobe towards the consultancy charges. One may now question, looking at the pathetic State of the Atal Setu, why Government is interested in appointing the blocklisted firm?
In 2016, then Opposition legislators – Viaji Sardesai and Rohan Khaunte had also questioned the Government’s intention to award a third Mandovi Bridge consultancy work to a tainted firm, whose designed flyover in Gandhinagar in Gujarat had collapsed in 2014.
Khaunte had also pointed out that the steel used in constructing the third Mandovi bridge showed signs of corrosion and had produced documents to prove his statement. Could this corroded steel be the reason for the frequent potholes now?
However, then Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar maintained that iron-resistant steel was being used in the Bridge’s construction and added that IIT Chennai had been entrusting the job of checking the Bridge.
“The Opposition is unnecessarily making noise. There should be no anxiety over the safety of teh Bridge,” said Parsekar. But today, the apprehension of teh people, environmentalists, and opposition leaders seem to have come true.