Third party to audit works at Kempegowda Layout

The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) has decided to appoint a third party to monitor the quality of work at the Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout, following complaints of shoddy work.

It has picked Bureau Veritas to audit the work to provide basic amenities at the 2,600-acre layout executed by L&T Ltd and SMPL Infra Ltd/Amrutha Constructions. Bureau Veritas has emerged as the lowest bidder.

The layout, developed at Rs 1,800 crore, comprises of 23,000 sites of various dimensions. While December has been fixed as the new deadline to complete the project, the contractor has done only 50% of the work.

Besides the sloppy work execution, there are also complaints of flooding at different parts of the layout where sites were sold.

Meanwhile, the legislative committee on petitions is scheduled to inspect the site on May 26 to assess the progress in providing basic amenities at the layout. The visit follows the panel’s dissatisfaction over answers from BDA officials during a recent meeting.

So far, the BDA has spent Rs 683 crore on land acquisition and another Rs 1,205 crore on civil works.