BELAGAVI
While the unwarranted delay by the contractor has caused further agony for motorists on the Belagavi-Goa NH748AA via Anmod, highway authorities are confident of getting the road completed by May 2024.
While commuters are going through a tough time due to incomplete stretches of the national highway earlier known as NH4A, authorities said the work on the stretch will be completed by May 2024.
The two-laning work of 52 kms between Khanapur to Anmod via Ramnagar had commenced about four-and-half years ago and had come to a grinding halt due to the stay granted by the Karnataka High Court on the plea by environmentalists.
However, the stay was vacated, and the work restarted in November last year. Contractor V M Mathere was awarded the contract after tenders were floated again.
However, the contractor who had restarted the work has slowed down the work causing the unwarranted delay in the completion. This has resulted in a huge inconvenience to commuters from either side because of the several diversions and incomplete stretches. Residents from the locality are now asking authorities to send a lookout notice to the contractor.
Accepting that the work has been stopped for some time, the NHAI authorities have taken up the matter on priority and have assured that the work will be completed during its stipulated period.
“We had a meeting with the NHAI headquarters along with the contractor. The contractor had certain financial issues. However, he has assured us that the work would commence soon and would be completed by May 2024,” NHAI Project Director Bhuvanesh Kumar told The Goan.
“A VC meeting was held with the contractor in the first week of this month. The contractor has assured us that the work on the road will commence next week and will be completed by May 2024. We will review the progress next week. A total of Rs 140 crore has been awarded for the remaining work. However, if the work is delayed, serious action will be initiated against the contractor,” Kumar said.
According to the recent survey by NHAI only the concrete slab on the two railway over bridges is incomplete and some superstructure is pending. At the same time, slab work on the five elephant underpasses has to be completed. Design drawings have been approved. Moreover, a few patches are left to be completed.
While about 30 kms of the work from Belagavi to Khanapur has been completed, commuters are desperately waiting for the work to be completed as assured so that travel between Belagavi and Goa becomes faster and more comfortable.
