Sir, Apropos the news item “Hinkal Flyover not before Dasara” (SOM dated Sept.17), we find that most of the works executed by Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) or Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) gets extended much beyond the stipulated deadline to complete the projects. May be owing to biased contract agreement terms favouring the contractors, works like Town Hall parking and Hinkal Flyover are not getting executed within the stipulated time period. When the tax-payers’ money is involved in financing these projects, it is the duty and the responsibility of the bureaucrats to draft stringent terms and conditions in the contracts. Stipulated time of completion and penal clause in case of failure to complete the project within the stipulated time should be clearly mentioned. MUDA or MCC should be able to initiate stringent action against the defaulting contractors, based on these terms and conditions. Projects like Raja Marga and construction of Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research Centre were not executed within the stipulated period and instead of applying penal clause for the delay, the contractors were awarded escalation cost over and above the contract amount. To save money, most of the contractors employ less number of labour and then go on extending the contract period claiming escalation costs. The authorities concerned should strictly draft penal clauses and also apply these penal clauses when there is an unreasonable delay in the execution of projects using public funds.
- K. Chandrahas, Mysuru, 18.9.2018
