Taking into account the slow progress of works in various road projects being executed in the state under the Public Works Department, the Arunachal Pradesh government recently initiated stringent action against a number of contractors.
In November last year, the state PWD debarred Mumbai-based Valecha Engineering Limited and the existing joint venture associates from participating in the tender process of its future projects. The agency also recommended to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways similar action against the company so as to include national highway projects as well as Centre sponsored road works across the country.
According to the state PWD, the action against Valecha Engineering Limited was taken due to dismal performance in execution of works in three sectors – NH 153 (24 km. – 40 km.), NH 153 (40 km. – 56.485 km.) and Lalpul – Manmao – Changlang. The first two projects had been awarded to Valecha Engineering Limited and the work commenced way back in September 2009. In case of both projects, the time overrun was more than 100 percent. The execution of the third project, awarded to Valecha – SGCCL joint venture, commenced in March 2011. It was found that the progress of work in the project was extremely slow.
The state PWD placed several other projects under scanner for their slow progress. Review of the projects revealed that the two-laning of Pasighat – Pangin Road (NH 229) from km. 28.00 to km. 41.30 and km. 57.00 to km. 71.596 under the Special Accelerated Road Development Programme in North East (SARDP-NE) was facing a time overrun of 11 months. The projects covering two-laning of the two stretches had been awarded to Hyderabad-based SRK Constructions and Projects Private Limited and work on both commenced in January 2011. In December last year, the company and its joint venture associates were debarred from participating in the tender process of the PWD. Similar action against the company was also recommended to the MoRTH so as to include national highway projects and Centre sponsored road works across the country.
Earlier this month, the state PWD took action against two more contractors for poor performance. Hyderabad-based Ramky Infrastructure Limited had failed to achieve the set target and milestone in the project for two-laning from YinKiong to Gobuk from km. 00.00 to km. 25.20 under SARDP – NE. The PWD opined that laxity on part of the contractor delayed progress in the project and debarred the company from participating in its tender process. Similar action against the company was recommended to the MoRTH so as to include national highway projects and Centre sponsored road works. Noida-based JKM Infra Projects Private Limited, the other contractor against whom the same action was taken, had failed to achieve the fixed target and milestone in two projects under SARDP – NE namely two-laning from Pasighat to Singer River (net length 19.887 km.) and two-laning of Longding – Tissa – Khonsa bypass connector (NH 52B) (net length 42.495 km.). In both cases, the Chief Engineer – Highway Eastern Zone would review the debarment on satisfactory progress and improved performance.
Ths valecha engineering pvtlimited is a company who has been taking advantage n suppressing the local contractors who have worked for them in a joint venture