Repair of the roads heavily damaged during the recent downpour could take longer than expected, as contractors are not willing to take up the work before the end of monsoons.
Completed work so far constitutes less than 50 % of the total work, and more than a third of the repairs have been done only on ad hoc basis.
A total of 172 works of repair costing about ₹22.74 crore were identified by the GHMC across the city, of which 82, costing ₹8.24 crore, have been completed so far. Of the rest, at 49 spots, only one layer of bitumen was laid in precaution of future rains.
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Second layer
“We will ask the contractor to lay the second layer post monsoons, after assessment of the damage,” said a senior official.
Work on 14 stretches of roads are yet to be started, while 27 more were held up owing to the need for coordinating with other departments. The works were awarded to different agencies on July 25.
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New rules
A regulation was incorporated this time, limiting each contracting agency to only four works, which reportedly miffed the established agencies. However, officials dismiss the reports as untrue.
“Contractors are not willing to take up works in monsoons as it takes a long time for the hot mix plant to heat up, and if it rains, the mix will go waste,” explained the official.