The dilapidated Hatkeshwar Bridge in Ahmedabad is closed since 2022. After that, tenders have been issued four times so far to demolish this bridge. This story of the tender of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation was also very interesting because, no contractor showed interest in the first two times it was issued to demolish this dilapidated bridge.
When the tender was issued for the third time, a contractor from Maharashtra filled the tender but eventually he too backed out. So the Municipal Corporation was forced to issue the tender for the fourth time to demolish this bridge and finally a contractor from Rajasthan, Vishnuprasad Pungalia, has shown interest in demolishing this bridge by filling a work order of Rs 52 crore. After which, there is finally hope of demolition of Hatkeshwar Bridge.
Tender was issued four times for demolition
Ahmedabad’s dilapidated Hatkeshwar Bridge, which has become a headache for the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, has been completely closed for the last 2 years. This bridge was constructed in the year 2017 by a company named Ajay Infra at a cost of 42 crores. At that time Ajay Infra claimed that the life of this bridge would be 100 years. But within just 5 years of the construction of the bridge, questions started being raised on the strength of this bridge and the stability test of this bridge was conducted.
The bridge became dilapidated in just five years
According to reports given by various agencies, after it became clear that low quality material was used in the construction of this bridge, it was decided to completely close the bridge for traffic. The company that built the Hatkeshwar Bridge was blacklisted.
The construction cost was Rs 42 crore
The cost of demolition of Hatkeshwar Bridge, which was built in 2017 at a cost of 42 crores, is estimated to be 52 crores. According to the rules, this cost will now be recovered from Ajay Infra, the company that built the bridge in 2017.
Recovery will be made from the construction agency
Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation chairman Devang Dani told Aaj Tak that Hatkeshwar Bridge was closed for the last two years due to its dilapidated condition. In view of the stability report of the bridge, we had blacklisted the company Ajay Infra which built the bridge.
The chairman said that for the last two years, the Nagar Nigam has issued tenders four times to demolish this bridge, but in the three tenders, no company was ready to demolish the dilapidated bridge. Finally, after completing the entire procedure for the fourth time, the tender was issued once again. Now a company from Rajasthan has taken a work order of Rs 52 crore and is preparing to demolish the dilapidated bridge.
Demolition work will begin in the next two weeks.
In the next two weeks, a work order will be issued to demolish the bridge as per all the rules. It will take 18 months to demolish this bridge. The cost of which will be recovered from Ajay Infra, the company that built this bridge.
People are facing problems due to the bridge
Ahmedabad’s Hatkeshwar Bridge has been closed for the last two years. Due to this, the local people living in the surrounding areas are most troubled. Local people say that they have submitted more than 20 applications to the administration in the last two years. Protests have been held many times. But this bridge of corruption has been standing in such a dilapidated condition for the last two years. Because of this bridge, people are not even able to walk on the service road. Everyone is troubled by the traffic jam.
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