The construction of Mandi bypass bridge has been lying suspended since the past four months, with the concerned department blaming the contractors for not showing interest in taking up tenders.
Pertinently, a bypass bridge was sanctioned for Mandi townby the previous BJP-PDP government, with an aim to ease traffic congestion inMandi town.
The bridge construction was sanctioned at an estimated costof Rs 11.2 crore and an initial amount of Rs 2.4 crore was released in favourof Jammu and Kashmir Project Construction Corporation. Work was initiated andtwo side pillars, one central pillar and side embankments, which comprise about45 percent of work, was completed.
“No work has been done in the past four months andpeople are eagerly waiting for resumption of work,” local traders and residentssaid.
On being contacted, Deputy General JKPCC, Arshad Mir,informed that tenders have been notified four times in last four months, butnot a single contractor has applied for the works, which is the reason behindthe delay.
“We are going to notify tenders for another term in the nexttwo days,” he said, adding that JKPCC has already completed 45 percent of thework and the remaining work is to be executed by private contractors.