L&T in a fix over Metro route
L&T has already invested Rs 14,132 crore in the project. The cost escalation due to inflation is Rs 2,500 crore
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2014-09-07 01:04 GMT
Hyderabad:The issue of the Metro route realignment at the Assembly and Sultan Bazaar has put the concessionaire Larsen and Toubro in a quandary. Internatio-nal vendors associated with the project believe that the position of alignment near the Assembly must be communicated and explained.
Work on the Sultan Bazaar side too is yet to start, and the issue should be considered without wasting too much of time. A senior officer at L&T explained, “The realignment at a place where pillars are already constructed has been done at considerable cost to the company. Other woes include Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation not giving permission for advertising. If every step is going to be a hurdle, how will the cost be recovered”.
At the same time, in the case of Ameerpet land acquisition, HMR has informed the High Court that realignment cannot be done until constructions are demolished. L&T has already invested Rs 14,132 crore in the project. The cost escalation due to inflation is Rs 2,500 crore. N.V.S. Reddy, managing director of Hyderabad Metro Rail said, “The report is being prepared and we are going to look into all these aspects.”
But the main concern is that realignment would be a blow to the firm stand adopted by HMR all along. The pre-cast viaducts are all ready in the godown, but cannot be erected due to the indecision as once laid, the viaducts will have to be broken down in case of a change in route. “Co-operation is all we need to successfully complete the project,” explained an officer.