DMRC offloads Soma for slow pace

KOCHI: The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has terminated the agreement with Soma Constructions for the work along the Maharaja’s – Ernakulam South stretch and decided to retender it. The construction company has been partially offloaded from the project due to its inability to carry out the work at the current rate. The firm demanded 40 per cent escalation in the contract amount citing inordinate delay in handing over land following which the DMRC proposed a fresh contract for the stretch.

There are apprehensions over further delay in the project commissioning beyond Maharaja’s due to retendering and identifying a new agency. Sources at DMRC told DC that the agency had to go for a fresh contract as there has been no provision to provide cost escalation to the civil contractor as per the agreement.

“If the company wants to participate in the retendering, it can also compete. Tenders for the Kunnara Park-to-SN Junction stretch will also be floated along with it,” the DMRC official said. Earlier, the DMRC had offloaded Era Infra Engineering Ltd (EIEL) from the Metro construction contract from South to Vyttila stretch citing slow work progress and the firm’s poor performance. Later, L&T Constructions undertook the work.

According to DMRC sources, the retendering will not delay the project further as construction in other stretches is progressing while the work along Maharaja’s – Ernakulam South is yet to pick up. Meanwhile, CPM district secretary P. Rajeev remarked that Metro phase- I has to be terminated at Maharaja’s and not at Palarivattom. “If the first phase is commissioned from Aluva to Palarivattom, the city roads will be further choked as Metro commuters will depend own private vehicles to reach the city from Palarivattom,” he said.

Mr. Rajeev also dismissed the allegations of deliberate attempts to delay the project. “Works along Maharaja’s to South was delayed due to hurdles in land acquisition. Retendering will not slow down the project as the civil works beyond Maharaja’s is yet to gain momentum,” he added.