Udupi DC Orders Blacklisting of Contractors for Delayed Overbridge Project

Udupi: Deputy Commissioner Vidya Kumari has directed officials to blacklist the contractors responsible for the delayed completion of the Indrali Railway Overbridge project, following persistent negligence in meeting the project’s timeline.

At a meeting held to review the progress of the National Highway 169A Indrali Railway Overbridge project, the DC expressed concern over the prolonged delay. The project, initially undertaken as part of the road widening work between Udupi and Manipal, began in 2018 after the Railways recommended the construction of a steel bridge. Despite being given five years, the project remains incomplete, causing significant inconvenience to the public and generating daily complaints.

The delay was attributed to the contractors’ failure to adhere to deadlines. Kumari instructed engineers to draft a letter to the authorities concerned, recommending the blacklisting of both the primary and subcontractors involved.

In previous meetings, contractors and engineers were directed to deploy workers in both day and night shifts to speed up the work. However, the insufficient workforce further exacerbated the delay. The DC stressed that the project must be prioritized to serve the public’s interest.

Additionally, Kumari instructed the deployment of more workers to complete the welding tasks for the steel bridge and ordered the necessary complementary works to place the steel bridge girders over the railway tracks. A detailed plan was requested for the remaining work, with immediate allocation of required resources and equipment to complete the project.