BENGALURU: Hard rock which was found in the way of multi-level underground parking project near Freedom Park has turned out to be blessing for the cash-strapped BBMP.
The Palike and mines and geology department have allowed the Hyderabad-based KMV Projects to sell the good quality granite or make use of it for the project and reduce the project cost in proportion with the money earned by the contractor by excavating granite. The granite being discovered is similar to Sadahalli granite, which is in great demand in the construction industry.
Gandhinagar Corporator Latha Kuvar Rathod told Deccan Chronicle, “From the day granite was found at the project site, officials attached to BBMP and MLA Dinesh Gundurao inspected the site. We immediately wrote a letter to the Mines and Geology department to take up a survey and find out the quantum of granite available at the site.”
Their initial survey has pegged it to be up to 28,500 cubic metres. The amount of granite mined by the contractor can be tracked closely and he cannot manipulate it, the corporator maintained.
Usually dynamites are used to blast such huge underground rock deposits that come in the way of such projects. But in this case the contractor would not use dynamites, as it may cause damage to the heritage site -Freedom Park, which was formerly the Central Jail.
Latha said the works have not been halted and the granite will be cut and then removed. “We invited tenders thrice for this purpose but no one participated,” she added.
We are doing all of our best to complete the project as soon as possible. We are hoping to complete it by 2018, Ms Latha said.
A senior engineer at BBMP told Deccan Chronicle that the rock found during excavation was a medium-hard granite. A permission has been obtained from the mines and geology department by the BBMP to make use of the granite. The contractor can either use it for the project or purchase it by paying the rolalty fixed by the geology department.
“About 28,500 cubic metres is the quantified availability of the granite. The contractor has so far used up 7,000 cubic metres of the rock. If the contractor does not need the rest, the geology department will auction the granite,” the engineer added.
The project may be delayed due to the hard rock as the contractor cannot take up even controlled blasting. He has to resort to diamond cutting, which is expensive and time consuming.
