GMDA to refloat tender for drain cleaning, as contractor leaves midway

The Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) has refloated a tender for cleaning the master sewerage drains between Iffco Chowk and Rajiv Chowk, along

The Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) has refloated a tender for cleaning the master sewerage drains between Iffco Chowk and Rajiv Chowk, along the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway, after the previous contractor left the work midway.

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With the work left incomplete, the 5.6-kilometre stretch was inundated following heavy rains throughout the 2020 monsoon. To ensure it is cleaned in advance before the 2021 monsoon, the GMDA has now floated a tender again to finalise a contractor and clear the master sewerage drains.

“Cleaning the sewerage drain between Rajiv Chowk and Iffco Chowk is vital as it hasn’t been done for many years. Tenders for this work had been floated before as well but the contractor left the project midway and hence, it has been once again floated. The new contractor will start work afresh,” said Pradeep Kumar, chief engineer, GMDA.

A tender for de-silting the drains had been floated in September 2019 as well, following which the previous contractor had been finalised. As per GMDA officials privy to the matter, there were two main reasons behind the contractor leaving the work.

“The previous contractor was under the impression that they will clear the sewerage and channel the sludge towards the nearest stormwater drain, which has major implications. They were supposed to clear the drain between manholes. The process essentially involves blocking one manhole completely, use high pressure jetting machines and super suction machines to open the drain running along the next manhole, and then empty the sludge to assigned areas. Subsequently, repeat the process in the other manhole as well. However, when we informed the contractor about the same, they realised they wouldn’t be able to complete the project as this would cost much higher than they had anticipated and in addition, they didn’t have the expertise for executing the same. Hence, they left the work midway,” a senior GMDA official privy to the matter said.

Besides major health hazards, mixing of stormwater and sewerage lines results in pollution of the water table and water bodies, and also leads to waterlogging during monsoon.

Similar to the previous tender, the GMDA has estimated that the project will cost around Rs 1.36 crore. The finalised contractor would also need to use pan-tilt cameras for recording 360 degrees footage of the entire sewerage line, both before starting the work and after completing it.

After finishing the work, the contractor will have to submit both hard and soft copies of the footage as proof of their work and subsequently, GMDA officials will examine the same on ground.

Bids for the project will close on January 7 next year and the same will be reviewed the following day, said GMDA officials.