The Hatkeshwar Bridge in Ahmedabad, built in 2017 at a cost of Rs 42 crore, is set to be rebuilt just seven years later due to its poor condition. The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has issued a fourth tender for the bridge’s reconstruction, which will cost Rs 52 crore.
The amount will be recovered from the same company that built the bridge in 2017.
The bridge has been closed for the past two years due to safety concerns.
“The Hatkeshwar Bridge was closed due to damage. The AMC issued three tenders for its demolition and reconstruction, but no companies responded. On the fourth attempt, a company from Rajasthan agreed to take on the project. The AMC aims to complete the process within 15 days and have the new bridge ready in the next 18 months,” said Devang Dani, Chairman of AMC’s Standing Committee, in an interview with India Today TV.
Shehzad Khan Pathan, the Leader of the Opposition in the AMC, called the Hatkeshwar Bridge a prime example of engineering failure and corruption. Built by Ajay Infra, the bridge was inaugurated in November 2017 but was temporarily closed in March 2021 due to a pothole, he added.
“The bridge was completely closed after being deemed unsafe in a stability report conducted in August 2022. The total cost of the bridge, including reconstruction, will be Rs 94 crore in just five years, and this amount should be recovered from the Ajay Infra company,” said Pathan.
While Devang Dani mentioned that the evaluation of reconstruction costs is ongoing, Gujarat’s Minister of State for Home, Harsh Sanghavi, confirmed that the demolition and rebuilding will cost Rs 52 crore, which will be recovered from the original contractor.
In response, Pathan questioned why the rebuilding of this bridge would cost only Rs 52 crore when other new bridges in Ahmedabad are being constructed for over Rs 100 crore. He also asked why a similar cost-saving approach couldn’t be applied to all new bridges.
Ahmedabad Congress city president Himmat Singh Patel also raised concerns, questioning why no investigation has been conducted against the contractor and officials involved in the Hatkeshwar Bridge issue. He accused the BJP of avoiding action and using agencies like the ED and CBI selectively.