THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The much-touted Karamana-Kaliyikkavila highway development project in the district has hit a major roadblock after reports that the contractor selected for the construction of the second phase from Pravachambalam to Kodinada is likely to back out owing to the low amount quoted by the government for purchasing raw materials including rock.
Sources said that the contractor, Sree Dhanya Construction, sought ten percent higher than the actual cost to Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) due to the rise in the price of raw materials and the unavailability of rock. However, KIIFB is yet to respond to the contractor’s requirement. Sree Dhanya was also the contractor of the first phase from Neeramankara to Pravachambalm.
The tender for the 5.6-km-long road stretches between Pravachambalam and Kodinada near Balaramapuram was awarded to Sree Dhanya last month. Kerala Road Fund Board is the implementing agency.
The project has already been delayed for several months for the tender process alone. Meanwhile, PWD Chief Engineer-in-charge (NH) M Ashok Kumar told Express that the contractor did not inform anything about this and the government is still positive about the project.“We are unaware of the contractor’s plan. In fact, the preliminary proceedings are progressing on a fast-track basis. Hence the project is fully on,” he said.
The cost for the second phase is estimated at Rs 111.5 crore. The 5.6-km stretch between Pravachambalam and Kodinada at Balaramapuram is the major part of the second phase of Karamana-Kaliyikkavila stretch. Earlier, Rs 266.67 crore was handed over to the Revenue Department for land acquisition in the Pravachambalam-Balaramapuram stretch.
Of this, Rs 122.46 crore was also disbursed to the landowners. Earlier, Rehabilitation of around 22 families at the Old Rajapatha area near Pravachambalam remained a major hurdle for several months.That issue was settled later with the intervention of the district administration. The government also had to re-tender the bidding process as there was only a single bid submitted early in May. Later, the government floated a tender again, and two companies, one of which was Sree Dhanya Constructions, participated.