Ganapathy Bridge
The narrow bridge, near Ganapathy, in Coimbatore on the busy Sathyamangalam Road. The Coimbatore Consumer Cause has thanked the National Highways Department and the Union Ministry of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways for according approval to construct two separate two lane minor bridges on NH-209 Sathyamangalam Road near Ashwin Hospital. In a memorandum, the association secretary, K. Kathirmathiyon, said that at present the low-lying narrow bridge was leading to traffic congestion and frequent accidents. The work for two separate two lane elevated bridge was originally approved by the Ministry on December 14, 2004 for Rs.1.17 crore in the annual plan 2004-05. Even though the tender proposal was submitted, the work orders could not be awarded within the validity period of 5 months time before May 13. Hence extension of time was sought for which there was no response from the Government.
Hence a revised estimate was submitted for Rs. 1.23 crores during September 2005, which was not sanctioned by the Ministry. According to the Ministry’s instruction, if the work was not awarded within 12 months of date of sanction, it stands cancelled. Hence in the annual plan 2006-07 the proposal was again submitted with a revised estimate of Rs.1.45 crores which was sanctioned by the Ministry on February 15, 2007. But when the tender was called for on April 26, 2007, the contractor quoted 28 per cent above the estimate rate. If tender percentage exceeded 5 per cent of the sanctioned cost, sanction of the Ministry had to be obtained. Hence re-tenders were invited on March 17, 2008 and it too exceeded 35 per cent of the estimate rate.
The National Highways submitted another proposal for Rs 1.98 crores with revised estimate according to the 2008-09 rates to the Ministry for approval. The Divisional Engineer of the National Highways, G. Thangamuthu, said that works would begin shortly. Similarly, National Highways was also working on a proposal in advance stages for constructing a two-lane railway overbridge on Sathyamangalam Road near Textool. It would come up next to the two-lane bridge being constructed by the railways. After its construction, another two-lane would be constructed with the funds from the National Highways Department.
