DPWH, contractor differ on flyover completion

There seems to be a conflict between the Department of Public Works and Highways and WTG Construction as far as the date of completion of the Banilad-Talamban Flyover is concerned.

While WTG said earlier it can finish construction by July this year, a Progress Status Report prepared by DPWH district engineer Nicomedes Leonor Jr. stated that the flyover will be completed within 300 calendar days starting February 1 this year.

The city council’s ad hoc committee that monitors the construction said yesterday that if the DWPH progress report would be the gauge, the flyover would be finished in November  and not in July.

“From the status report, it seems clear that had the original ‘start date,’ which was October 5, 2007 been followed, the construction will have been completed by the end of July 2008. Thus, when WTG representative, Engr. Cris Semilla, announced two sessions ago that the project is on schedule, he must have referred to November 2008 and not July 2008,” reads the report of the committee.

This development came after both DWPH and WTG Contractor assured the council that the construction of the 390-meter flyover will be finished on time, as negotiations with the owners of the “critical lots” that would be affected by road widening is underway.

But in the same report, the committee said that several lot owners lamented that DPWH no longer communicated with them since the time they received the notices that their properties would be utilized to widen Governor Mariano Cuenco Avenue.

Some reportedly sought clarification from DPWH but have not been provided with sketch plans of the road widening until now.

The concern of the lot owners was raised during a meeting with Vice Mayor Michael Rama and some members of the city council last Monday.

What is clear, the committee said, is that the that most, if not all of the owners, have agreed to accept “under protest” the price of P15,000 per square meter offered by DPWH to acquire portions of their lots.

The property owners reportedly will sign their contracts with DPWH and allow the latter and the contractor to enter their properties only after they shall receive payment from DPWH.

Nevertheless, the committee said that payment from DPWH “will depend largely on how soon these lot owners can submit to the DPWH the documentary requirements.”

Based on a survey by DPWH, portions of 30 lots belonging to 20 different owners would be utilized for road widening. The committee also said that a total of 4,705 square meters will be taken from all of these different lots.

If the price per square meter is P15,500—the price offered by DPWH to the lot owners—the total compensation to be paid to the lot owners would amount to P72,927,500 depending on the area taken.

DPWH lawyer Agustinito Hermoso Jr. earlier said that DPWH would soon release P40,000,000 for payment of the lots.

“For transparency’s sake, there should be constant communication between the DPWH and the lot owners. If necessary and expedient, the DPWH should assign at least one personnel from its legal department with whom these lot owners can take up their concerns,” the committee said.

Starting last Monday, May 19, contractor of the flyover implemented a 24-hour work schedule with 50 crewmen working in shifts.

The committee said the City Traffic Operation and Management should be prepared for the opening of classes next month, as this will cause more traffic congestion and public inconvenience especially that only two lanes, one of each side of the road, are open. —Joeberth M. Ocao/RAE