KOCHI: It seems that a sort of tiff is going on between the Kochi Corporation and the contractors. This came to the fore when the Corporation authorities decided to go ahead with the restoration work of major and pocket roads in the city.
However, Cochin Corporation Contractors Association has decided to boycott the tenders that will be floated by the civic body. According to the contractors, the decision to carry out the works under the rates fixed by the Central Public Works Department is totally unacceptable to them. “Till 2012, the work under the Corporation limit was carried out as per the rates fixed by the State PWD. But recently, the Corporation Council has recommended the state to implement the work under the rates fixed by the CPWD. But the new rates are lower than the rates fixed by the state till 2012. The decision is totally impractical and unacceptable for us,” said Cochin Corporation Contractors Association president P G Yesudas.
He said the contractors are struggling to implement the work under the new rate which is lesser than the 2012 rates. “We have even put forth the idea that if the Corporation is ready to withdraw the CPWD rates and implement the PWD rates, we will carry out the road work. But the civic administrators were not ready to accept our demand. The authorities were of the opinion that it would result in another one month’s delay if they go for a revival of the old scheme. But we have even completed the work tendered in December and January before March 31, the end of the financial year,” he said.
He said that hence the contractors have decided to boycott all the tenders floated by the Corporation including that for the works under Plan Fund.