Tribune press service
Nitin Jain
Ludhiana, November 4
In what appears to be another hurdle at the long-awaited international airport at Halwara in Ludhiana, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has ordered the seizure of the awarded works before undertaking the remaining works.
About the project
- Total area: 161.28 acres
- Terminal area: 2,000 m²
- Awarded cost: Rs 3,876.65L
- Perimeter wall, access road: Rs 309.33 crore
- Missed deadlines: January and June of this year
Construction of the interim terminal and related works at a cost of Rs 47 crore – suspended since March – would be further delayed with this development, which came three months after the IAA in July decided to resume construction of the balancing works .
In a communication to the Public Works Department (PWD), the Managing Director (CEO) of Ludhiana International Airport Limited (LIAL) – a joint venture between AAI and the Government of Punjab – requested details of the works executed by the PWD to the site as well as its cost and the foreclosure status of contracts awarded by the Department.
“With reference to the letter from the IAA and the resolution of the LIAL board meeting mentioned above, you are requested to provide details of the work carried out by the PWD on the site as well as its cost and foreclosure status of the contracts you have awarded. This would make it even easier for the IAA to resume balance work,” the LIAL CEO wrote.
In response to the communication, the PWD suggested to the CEO of LIAL-cum-Director of Ludhiana Airport that the internal roads and related infrastructure works were awarded to a Ludhiana-based company on November 8, 2021, while that a firm in Himachal Pradesh had been awarded the job. to construct the temporary airport building on December 9, 2021.
“Work on the site was halted by both agencies in March due to the non-release of funds by the Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA) despite repeated requests and reminders,” the PWD responded.
The department further suggested that, in accordance with the instructions of the IAA to exclude the awarded works, a file for obtaining the authorization to terminate the bidding of the awarded works was transferred to the competent authority and the necessary instructions to contractors would be issued once the eviction is approved.
In order to avoid any litigation/arbitration and to ensure the smooth progress and resumption of the remaining works, the PWD suggested to the AAI to form a joint committee of PWD and AAI officers to visit the site and evaluate the work already done. “As GLADA has not made payment for work already awarded and completed despite its mandate for administrative approval, a joint meeting of departments may be convened on payments,” the PWD said.