High cost of the steel flyover, which experts argue is inflated and unjustified, will have to be borne by motorists as they will be forced to pay toll to use the route. As neither the BDA nor the State government have the resources to fund the project, they are likely to raise loans from the market, making toll collection necessary, sources said. Toll projections will be used to raise loans. The State government has formally approved levying toll on the steel flyover, sources said.
Unlike other access controlled toll highways, it is not the concessionaire who will be investing the money, build the infrastructure and earn through toll under the BOOT model. Larson and Tourbo Ltd., which has won the contract to execute the project, will not be investing any money. It only merely execute the project for which it will be paid by BDA. Multiple structural experts argue that the Rs. 1,791 crore bill for the steel flyover is unjustifiable for what it achieves and say alternatives are available to serve the same purpose at a lesser cost, probably making levying of toll unnecessary.
Prof. T G Sitharam, Civil Engineering Department of Indian Institute of Science, said that the project cost is staggering and unjustified.
The Detailed Project Report (DPR) published by BDA clearly indicates that the piers, or pillars holding up the steel flyover, will also be made of steel with only a concrete foundation.
“It is the steel piers that is driving up the cost. Concrete piers are any day not only cheaper but also more sustainable,” says R. K. Jaigopal, member, Indian Road Congress.
As against the steel flyover, a pre-stressed concrete, which can be assembled on site, will cost Rs. 936 cr.
— R. K. Jaigopal,
member, Indian Road Congress
