Mumbai: With delays owing to re-tendering of the project and technical changes suggested by IIT-Bombay, the cost of the reconstruction of Hancock Bridge, between Byculla and Sandhurst Road railway stations, has now escalated by Rs 25 crore.
While the cost of the reconstruction project was initially pegged at Rs 51 crore, due to delays in the work gathering steam, the cost has increased to Rs 77.42 crore.
“Some new suggestions and recommendations were given by IIT-Bombay, which included various technical upgrades, due to which the allocated price, which was around Rs 51 crore will now increase to Rs 77 crore,” said an official from the roads and bridges department of BMC.
In May 2016, the BMC had awarded the contract for Hancock bridge to J Kumar, a firm which was blacklisted after an activist filed a Public Interest Litigation in the Bombay High Court. Due to the litigation, the construction was stalled for almost two years after the contractor was blacklisted Finally, fresh tenders were floated and the tendering process was completed on December 20, 2017.
Of four companies that submitted bids, Sai Projects Mumbai was awarded the contract.
Further, according to suggestions and recommendations given by IIT-Bombay on changes to be made to the concrete pillars, iron girders weighing 660 metric tonnes were to be replaced by those weighing 1,374 metric tonnes, due to which the allocated cost of the work has increased by over Rs 20.76 crore.
Apart from this, the changes recommended also call for mild steel liners, which will cost an additional Rs 15.6 lakh, and eight RDSO spherical bearings that will cost Rs 27.9 lakh.
The 137-year-old Hancock bridge was demolished on January 9 and January 10, 2016 after it was declared unsafe by the Central Railway and it was recommended that the bridge be demolished and reconstructed.
The stone and iron bridge, between Byculla and Sandhurst Road was built in 1879, named after Colonel H F Hancock, who was the president of Bombay Municipal Corporation (presently Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation). The bridge was rebuilt in 1923.
