MARGAO
The government and the contractor Ms M Venkata Rao Infra Projects Pvt Ltd has just a year at their disposal to complete the 2.75 km balance stretch of the Western bypass passing through Benaulim village.
A glance at the recent High Court order shows that the bench comprising of Justice M S Sonak and Justice B P Deshpande has set December 31, 2023 to the contractor Ms M Venkata Rao Infra Projects Pvt Ltd to complete the 2.75 km bypass stretch without giving the usual excuses, with a further direction not to invent new excuses.
The Court directed the contractor to file the first status report by December 31, 2022, even warning that the Court would consider passing any further orders for the appointment of some other contractor to complete the work.
“If, at that stage, we find that the contractor is not serious about this work, then, the Court will consider whether any further orders should be passed including orders for the appointment of some other contractor to complete this work at the earliest. Such appointment of another contractor will obviously be at the risk and consequences of the present contractor,” the Court warned.
“The contractor has submitted before us a bar chart which states that the balance road work of 2.75 km will be positively completed by 26.04.2024. Although we thought that the timeline suggested by the contractor is dilatory considering that only a stretch of 2.75 km remains to be completed, it was pointed out to us that about 900 metres of this stretch are required to be put up on piles,” the Court said.
When the Counsel for the contractor drew the attention of the Court to some issue about the three banyan trees. The Court observed “unfortunately, we find that this particular contractor even before commencing the work is prone to giving one excuse after another and thereby not sticking to the timelines provided by the authorities and in some cases, even the timelines suggested by the contractor himself. This complaint about three banyan trees at least to us appears to be a similar attempt.”
The Court added: “Similarly, we find that timelines are given and the same are breached with impunity. After that, the usual reasons for the monsoon in Goa being heavy is put forth by the contractor. Even this time, the timeline for completion of work ends on 26.04.2024. If this timeline is not adhered to then the contractor will again give the excuse of monsoons.”
Reminding the Western bypass project had commenced before the year 2015, the Court observed, “In the year 2015, because there was no suitable progress suo motu cognizance was taken by this Court in this petition. Most of the works are now completed but this crucial stretch of only 2.75 km remains. On account of the non-completion of the stretch, the project cannot be effectively be used as a bypass to Margao town.”
Saying all concerned should have ensured that even this stretch is completed within a reasonable period, the Court observed “accordingly, even after due consideration of the timeline furnished by the contractor, we think that the contractor must complete this stretch of 2.75 km latest by 31.12.2023 without giving the usual excuses. The contractor must also not invent new excuses.”
The High Court has now posted the matter on January 2, 2023.
