PWD freezes payments to contractor over ₹90 lakh faults
MAPUSA
With multiple structural and technical flaws emerging after a ₹60 crore renovation of the iconic Kala Academy, the Public Works Department (PWD) has moved to withhold all pending payments to contractor M/s Techton Buildcon Pvt Ltd.
The department has identified substandard work worth an estimated ₹90 lakh and is initiating recovery from the agency.
The delays in finalising the scope of fresh repairs are likely to push the PWD’s internal deadline of August for completion of repair work.
PWD Chief Engineer Vallabh Pai confirmed that the department will not release any further funds to the contractor – including the security deposit – until the scope and accountability of the defects are fully verified.
“We had estimated around ₹90 lakh worth of work that was not done properly. But we need to counter check with the agency, as they may claim certain components were beyond their scope. That process is underway,” said Pai.
He added that instructions have been issued to Executive Engineers to halt all payments to Techton Buildcon.
“Whatever work was within their scope and not done properly, we will recover the cost from whatever amount is left to be paid,” Pai reiterated.
The State government’s Task Force, constituted to evaluate the quality of renovation work, had identified nearly 18 to 20 faults in the project.
Despite the hefty cost, the faults range from structural issues to aesthetic inconsistencies.
Meanwhile, the PWD, which was entrusted the task to complete fresh repairs at the Kala Academy, is yet to start work on the structure.
The delay, officials said, is due to pending documentation from the appointed consultants.
“The consultants have submitted their initial report, but they still need to file a Declaration of Performance (DoP) outlining the corrective steps to be taken,” Pai said.
He further informed that the consultants, along with the Task Force, are expected to conduct a detailed inspection of Kala Academy on July 7, after which the DoP will be submitted.
“Only after receiving the DoP and precise specifications will the new round of work be tendered,” he added.
The Kala Academy, which underwent renovation and strengthening work from 2021, was reopened to the public in November 2023.
With over ₹70 crore already committed to the project – including both renovation and follow-up repair allocations – the Kala Academy remains in the spotlight as one of Goa’s most scrutinised public works initiatives.
