KMP Expressway contractor may be axed: minister

Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Krishan Pal Gurjar Monday said the concessionaire of KMP Expressway may soon lose the contract for inordinately delaying Haryana's dream project.

Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, Minister of State for Defence Rao Inderjit Singh and Gurjar visited Gurgaon July 25 to examine the Delhi-Jaipur and Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP) Expressway.

After the survey, Singh and Gurjar said the central government was ready to take charge of building the KMP Expressway.

"We had demanded the cancellation of the contract of KMP Expressway. Now that we have our government in the state too, we will take appropriate steps soon," Gurjar said.

"Though the matter is in the apex court, we are sure we will reach a conclusion in wide public interest."

The construction of the 135.6-km expressway (official name Western Peripheral Expressway) started in 2007. It was to become operational by July 29, 2009 at a cost of Rs.17.6 billion.

But work has been tardy. The contractor is Darshan Singh Construction Company (DSC).

The DSC had promised the Haryana government in October 2010 that the 53-km Manesar-Palwal stretch would be ready by March 2011. But it has not been opened for traffic.

Work has been completed only on a 48-km section by August 2012.

Sub-contractors have complained of non-payment. Thieves have reportedly stolen steel, sand and other building materials from several sections of KMP.