Update tender specifications to prevent road height rise: Arappor

CHENNAI: Pointing out that tender specifications for laying roads in Trichy will increase the road height, Arappor Iyakkam has urged the government to update tender specifications so that there will be no increase in road height.

In a petition to Chief Secretary V Irai Anbu and other officials, Jayaram Venkatesan of Arappor Iyakkam, said that the organization submitted a citizen's Road Audit Report to Tiruchirappalli City Corporation to restore the 199 damaged roads.

"The report also showed specific examples of tenders wherein the road height is increasing as per tender specification itself. If the tender specification for milling and earth work excavation is less than the total height of road to be laid through wet mix macadam, bituminous macadam and bituminous concrete, then it gives a clear license to the contractor to raise road height during implementation citing that they are doing as pe der specification only, " he said.

He added that while analysing recent tender notification comprising 81 packages worth Rs 103 Crores, the organisation has found that the road height is increasing in the tenders.

"Raising of road height at the stage of tender specification itself must viewed and taken very seriously as it causes irreparable damage to the houses and people living in the area. While we are happy that road works are being undertaken, it would be disastrous for Trichy residents to allow these tenders in the current form, " he said.

He requested the Tiruchirapalli City Corporation Commissioner to cancel and extend the tender submission date and update the tender specification details.