BMC’s plan to resurface 52 bridges back on the table

To prevent potholes from forming on the city’s bridges, the civic body has decided to put in motion its plan of resurfacing them with mastic asphalt, at a cost that is 14% higher than was originally estimated.

To prevent potholes from forming on the city’s bridges, the civic body has decided to put in motion its plan of resurfacing them with mastic asphalt, at a cost that is 14% higher than was originally estimated.

HT Image

After a month-long negotiations with contractors, who had previously bid 24% more than the estimated budget for the project, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) administration has succeeded in bringing down the cost, albeit by only 10%.

On August 19, HT had reported that the BMC had shelved its plan of resurfacing the bridges after the contractors’ bid was 24% higher than the estimated cost.

Worth around Rs. 50 crore, the project aimed to resurface 52 bridges under the civic body’s jurisdiction with mastic asphalt, which works mainly as a waterproofing agent and also helps prevent the formation of potholes.

“The proposal has finally moved ahead, after the contractors were successfully brought down to almost 10% less than the rate they had initially quoted. It will soon be presented to the standing committee for approval,” said a senior BMC official from the roads department.

Officials also said that mastic resurfacing is expected to increase the lifespan of the bridges.

In the previous round of bidding, contractors had quoted 24.3% higher than the estimated amount in the city area, 23.04% higher in the western suburbs and 24% higher in the eastern suburbs.

Civic authorities said that they had expected bid amounts that were up to 10% to 14% higher, as the original tender notice had mentioned the width of the mastic asphalt layer as up to 12mm, but the Standing Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) had later recommended that the width should be
up to 25mm.