Row over wall height, issue referred to panel for resolution

SOLAN: A dispute has arisen between the National Highways Authority of India NHAI and GR Infra Limited which is executing the fourlaning project of the ParwanooSolan stretch of the National Highway NH22 pertaining to the height of breast walls as the company is demanding additional budget

Updated At : 06:45 AM Jul 18, 2017 IST

Massive landslides are occurring all along the newly erected breast walls on the NH-22.

Ambika Sharma

Tribune News Service

Solan, July 17

A dispute has arisen between the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and GR Infra Limited, which is executing the four-laning project of the Parwanoo-Solan stretch of the National Highway (NH)-22, pertaining to the height of breast walls as the company is demanding additional budget.

Since massive landslides are occurring all along the newly erected breast walls on the NH-22, a question mark has been put over the quality of the work being executed. The project cost which stood at Rs 748 crore would be sizably pushed up if additional budget worth crores was sanctioned. This has become a contentious issue between the two and it has been referred to the dispute redressal resolution committee of the NHAI.

A major portion of the newly carved out road along the hillsides had been inundated with muck falling from the exposed hills and massive boulders. The road has not only been rendered risky for driving but also closed for traffic along the hill side though vehicles had started plying on it before the onset of the rain. The breast walls of elevation ranging from 1.5 m to 3 m had failed to check landslides from the exposed hills and at places these walls too had been adversely damaged.

Debasis Patra, project director, GR Infra Limited, said they were raising breast walls as per the specifications listed in the project drawings and hill manual where the height ranged from 1.5 m to 3 m but given the quantum of landslides it was apparent that walls of higher elevation were required.

As per their estimate prepared by a specialised agency, there was a stretch of 11 km where higher breast walls will help contain the risk of landslides.

The issue of additional budget has been taken up with the NHAI officials and they had even inspected the sites where landslides had occurred, but despite lapse of several months their demand has not been acceded to. This issue has finally been referred to the dispute resolution committee and has been pending before the NHAI chairman since the past several months.

An official of the NHAI while confirming the news said as per the specification of this project, breast walls of 3 m were supposed to be raised and he confirmed that GR Infra Limited had sought additional budget to raise walls of higher elevation and the issue had been referred to the dispute resolution committee.

With the issue yet to be resolved the GR Infra Limited will continue to construct walls of elevation ranging from 1.5 m to 3 m which was within the present scope of work added Patra.