MJP demands CSMC to share burden of Rs 20 crore

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

In a surprising development, the nodal agency of the new water supply scheme, Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran (MJP), has issued a letter to the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation (CSMC) stating to share a monetary burden of Rs 20 crore in completing the supplementary project of replacing 700-mm old pipeline.

Earlier, the state government granted a fund of Rs 193 crore to replace the 700 mm old pipeline supplying water to the old city. The pipeline is a part of the old water supply scheme of CSMC. Hence the fund will be utilised to strengthen it, but the MJP has received the tenders which are above the estimated price of the work. It is assumed that the budget would escalate by Rs 20 crore. Hence the MJP through a letter insisted CSMC bear the additional monetary burden.

The MJP chief engineer R S Lolapod said,“ We have received different responses for the pipeline laying works. Our motto is to get the work done at reasonable prices. Meanwhile, we have sought an explanation from the contractors for quoting high rates above the estimated price till May 2. The tender process will be finalised by May 8.”

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The replacement of the old pipeline will be done through different contractors. For one type of work (laying pipelines), the quotation along with the rates received by MJP are as follows: For laying a 12 km long pipeline from Jayakwadi to Dhorkin, the Nasik-based contractor P P Gogad quoted an 11.76 per cent low price.

For laying a 14 km long pipeline from Dhorkin to Pharola, the contractor Rudrani Constructions quoted 23.19 per cent above price. For laying a 14 km long pipeline from Pharola to Nakshatrawadi, the contractor Shrihari Associates quoted 24 per cent above the price. Meanwhile, for the construction of the new Pharola-Dhorkin Pumping House, MJP received a tender with an 8.51 pc low price. However, Shrihari Associates and Vijay Constructions (Parli) have submitted the tender 29 per cent above the price for the construction of a water treatment plant (WTP) at Pharola and repairing the old WTP at Pharola.