Five notices issued on shoddy Hatkeshwar flyover work in Ahmedabad

The civic body was not satisfied with the replies given by the contractor and project management over the past six months to the five notices regarding shoddy works on the Hatkeshwar flyover.

Built just five years ago, the flyover has been found too dangerous to allow the movement of vehicles.

A preliminary report found the flyover was made of inferior construction materials. Help has also been sought from IIT Roorkee to check if the flyover can be repaired instead of being demolished.

Allegations have been made that the AMC tries to protect contractors responsible for the poor construction of civic facilities. This was also the case in the Hatkeshwar flyover.

Six large potholes had developed on the bridge since it was built in 2017. 

The civic officials sent construction material samples to two private laboratories in Mumbai and Ahmedabad for examination after an enormous crater developed on it.

The lab tests confirmed that poor-quality of material was used to build the bridge.

The AMC was forced to admit that the flyover was too dangerous to be used and closed it about six months ago.

The civic body then issued five show cause notices to the construction firm, Ajay Engineering Infra Pvt Ltd, and the project management company, SGS India Pvt Ltd. However, sources in AMC said neither responded to these notices.

The sources added that neither the elected wing nor the administrative wing of the AMC has held any of their officials accountable or taken action against the contractors, project consultants, or third-party inspection agencies for the shoddy work.