Aurangabad, May 29:
At present, power outages are not allowed in many places in the district for the removal of large capacity wires such as power grids and tower lines. As a result, road works have been delayed.
Sources at L&T and Megha Engineering, the contractors working on the highway in the district, said the corona pandemic has been a constant hindrance to work on the Samruddhi expressway. Had it not been for these obstacles, the work on this highway would have been almost complete by now and the traffic would have started. However, in such a situation, the work is going on at 35 per cent speed. Meanwhile, another wave of corona came and more than 50 per cent of the migrant laborers left for their villages. The government also gave priority only to the supply of oxygen for healthcare which resulted in stopping of work of centering, welding, bending, and cutting. As the markets were closed, there was a shortage of many chemicals to mix in the concrete. In some places in the district, huge tower lines have passed along the Samruddhi expressway. According to the expressway criteria, out of the large power lines, 132 kV tower lines should be at least five and a half meters apart, while 800 kV power grid wires should be at a height of 13.5 meters. But these wires are at a low altitude and to lift them, there will be a need to increase the height of the existing towers. However, at present, power supply to covid centers and hospitals cannot be cut off. Therefore, sources say that the government is not giving permission for line shifting at present.
MSRDC's superintending engineer B P Salunkhe said the corona had a huge impact on work on the Samruddhi expressway. Out of the two contractors in the district, L&T has completed 90-95 per cent work. If the state restrictions imposed by the government are lifted from June 1, the work of this contractor will be completed in two months and one side of the work of Megha engineering will be completed.