Ejipura Flyover: BBMP Floats A Fresh ₹141 crore Tender To Complete 57% Pending Work Of Stalled 2.5 km Project In 15 Months

The work on the proposed Ejipura Main Road to Kendriya Sadan Flyover in the upscale Koramangala locality of Bengaluru is set to finally resume with Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) floating a fresh tender to complete the 2.5km elevated structure.

The project has come to a grinding half for over two years due to the bankruptcy of the contractor and the inability of civic authorities to resolve the consequent legal wrangle.

Legal complications around floating a fresh tender were resolved after the Karnataka High Court disposed of a PIL contending delay in completing the Ejipura flyover and directed BBMP to take an independent decision on the stalled project after discussing with the defaulting contractor Simplex Infrastructure Ltd.

In February this year, the high court directed the BBMP to initiate criminal proceedings against the company for misappropriation of funds and to cancel the contract.

Following the high court's direction, the state government issued an order in March this year cancelling the tender awarded to Simplex for constructing the flyover. The government also directed the BBMP to float a fresh tender for the remainder of the work within the project cost of ₹204 crores as per norms of the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement Act.

It has been over five years since the tender for the ₹204 crore project was awarded to Simplex, but only 42.83% progress had been achieved despite deadlines being revised twice, April 2020 and May 2021.

The construction of the 2.5-km-long flyover began in May 2017 with a 30-month deadline. The flyover, upon completion, will cut travel time by 30 minutes as commuters can avoid many traffic signals in Koramangala, Ejipura and surrounding areas to reach Sarjapura Road and Hosur Road. The flyover will help commuters avoid major traffic junctions at Ejipura main road, Inner Ring Road, Sony World Signal and Kendriya Sadan junction, apart from other areas in Koramangala.

The fresh tender floated by BBMP is valued at ₹141 crores with conditions including a 15- month project completion deadline and no permission for joint bids. The last date for submission of the bid is September 16.

The civic body has also reportedly settled the pending dues of Rs 75 crore to Simplex.