The construction work related to the Cochin Cancer Research Centre has been suspended once again due to lack of professional management and quality in the construction work.
An inspection conducted by the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board, KIIFB’s Technical Inspection Authority on November 6 has revealed the poor quality of construction and delay reasons. On this background, strict instructions were given to INKEL limited, the executive agency (SPV) project, to speed up the construction works and to rectify the defects. However, Inkel was unable to fulfil any of the assurances given to KIIFB during the site inspection.
According to the tripartite agreement signed between INKEL, Department of Health and Family Welfare, and KIIFB, the INKEL has committed violations of Sections 7 and 15 of the agreement. Moreover, Article 12 of the tripartite agreement authorises KIIFB’s CEO to suspend construction works immediately. The suspension of construction works was aimed at providing a chance for INKEL to rectify the defects pointed out by the Technical Inspection Authority.
The INKEL will only be able to resume construction work if it can satisfactorily convince Technical Inspection Authority that all the remedies suggested by the Authority were fulfilled. The existing contract will be cancelled and a new contract will be issued, if they successfully convince the Authority. However, the new contract will be only awarded in accordance with the terms and conditions of the loss, without incurring any financial liability to KIIFB.
This is for the second time the KIIFB stopping the construction of the Cochin Cancer Centre hospital complex. The project was scheduled to be completed by July 25 this year, but on that date, only 37% of the work had been completed and even the building under construction has collapsed in November 2019. Prior to the accident, KIIFB’s Technical Inspection Authority had issued correctional instructions stressing serious defects in the construction. However, neither the INKEL nor the contractor had followed the guidelines or standards in public works.
Again on this background, the construction works were suspended on the basis of the inspection report submitted by the Technical Inspection Wing.
Later, INKEL was informed that only after meeting all the suggestions given by the Technical Inspection Authority, they can resume the construction works. Even further inspections revealed serious errors in construction.
On December 18, 2020, an official meeting chaired by KIIFB CEO Dr KM Abraham along with Inkel’s MD, Joint General Manager, and other officials was conducted at KIIFB’s headquarters based on a stop memo issued by KIIFBI. During the meeting, KIIFB’s CEO expressed his dissatisfaction with the current issues of the Cochin Cancer Research Centre Project. The MD and Joint MD of Inkel even briefed the current situation and the status of the project and the MD said that the committee’s report would be submitted to KIIFB as soon as possible.
