At a time when international infrastructure and construction firms are making a beeline to take up development works in the city and Amaravati, one challenging project that is much-needed for the safety of a big chunk of city’s population is finding no takers.
The proposal for constructing retaining or protection walls on the hills of the city to protect hill-dwellers from rock and landslides during the rainy season is seeing no light since long.
The project if finished can prevent incidents of rolling of boulders like the one which occurred on May 20 on Mogalrajapuram hill. A huge boulder came down from the hill top damaging the stairway and some houses. It came to a crashing halt only after crashing into an iron electric pole.
The incident, which occurred after the recent spell of rainfall, rattled the locals and prompted local MLA G. Rammohana Rao and Mayor K. Sridhar to visit the spot to assure help to them.
High cost of execution
However, contractors are not coming forward to take up the Herculean task despite the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation calling tenders four times so far. “We have called tenders four times so far regarding construction of protection walls on all hills in the city at a cost of Rs. 14 crore following instructions of the Chief Minister. Erecting strong cement concrete wall around the hill abutting last house will stop any boulders rolling down. But none are coming forward to take up the project owing to high cost of execution”, Mr. Sridhar told The Hindu .
Asked if lack of technology was forcing contractors not to take up the works, Mr. Sridhar said, “The Chief Minister has special interest in ending the perennial problem. Using technology is not a challenge but the burden of carrying material from ground to top of the hill seems to be the reason behind disinterest of contractors”.
“We are looking forward in taking up the project as it is a matter of public safety,” he added.
The project could also stop people from climbing the slopes to build houses. There are five hills in the city including the largest Indrakeeladri and the Gunadala-Mogalrajapuram hills which are densely populated.
