The Delhi Cabinet on Thursday approved the final revised estimate for the Signature Bridge in north-east Delhi’s Wazirabad at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
Deposit work
The government statement announcing the development said the Public Work Department’s final revised estimate of Rs. 1,518.37 crore was approved for completion of construction work for the bridge over the Yamuna and the approach road as recommended by the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC).
In October 2003, the statement said, the Delhi government had decided to outsource the project for which Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation Limited (DTTDC) submitted its offer to undertake the construction of the bridge at Wazirabad as a deposit work with departmental charges at the rate of 5% of the estimated cost.
The offer was considered favourably and project was entrusted to the DTTDC as a deposit work, with a memorandum of undertaking being signed between the Delhi government, represented by the Secretary, PWD, and the DTTDC, represented by the Chief Engineer, on August 27, 2004.
Third party evaluation
“Since there was difference of opinion between PWD and DTTDC engineers on quantity and justification for escalated cost, it was proposed to get a third party evaluation done. Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Manish Sisodia had decided on March 7 this year that opinion of the Central Public Works Department [CPWD] be obtained and finalised as soon as possible,” the statement said.
The CPWD had examined four major contentious issues and gave its opinion.
These included escalation in the amount which worked out to the tune of Rs. 266 crore as statutory payment to the contractor on account of escalation as per provisions of the agreement.
The issue of lifts was also examined and an additional amount of Rs. 4.80 crore was considered in the revised sanction is in order, the statement said.
Similarly, an additional amount of Rs. 14.90 crore was considered for the pylon access system.
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