Ranchi, May 20: Residents of Jamshedpur and Adityapur can now expect relief from regular traffic snarls.

For, the state road construction department has finally taken a decision to award the contract to execute work for the proposed second Kharkai bridge to Megotia Construction.

The Jamshedpur-based company’s name is being considered for the Rs 13.40 crore bridge project since the lowest bid was made by the agency.

“The department is seriously considering Megotia Construction for the project since it has quoted 25 per cent above the estimated cost worked out in September 2007. Since then, rates of steel, cement and other construction material have risen considerably. But we are working out how to award the contract on the existing schedule rate subject to consideration by the company,” said N.N. Singh, the deputy secretary of the road construction department.

Sources told The Telegraph that another bidder — KK builders — had quoted more than 75 per cent above the initial estimated costs.

The proposal of Calcutta-based Tantia Construction Company was not entertained due to some technical reasons.

According to norms, the department cannot consider more than 10 per cent increased rates.

But officials are mulling a change of the schedule of rate of commodities like cement and steel among others according to the gross rate index provided by the ministry of surface transport and highways.

For any increase beyond 10 per cent, the matter has to be forwarded to the cabinet for due approval.

“The second Kharkai bridge would be constru- cted parallel to the first one towards the downstream of the river. It would be constructed at a distance of about 30ft from the existing bridge. The total width of the bridge would be around 10m (approximately 40 feet) while the length of the bridge would be about 400m,” said P.M. Toppo, the engineer in-chief of the road construction department.

The existing traffic snarls witnessed on the Kharkai bridge on a daily basis at present is a nightmare for local residents and drivers of heavy vehicles.

Thousands of commercial vehicles including trucks and trailers ply on the stretch that leads to the state’s largest industrial unit at Adityapur — housing about 700 units.

The dilapidated existing bridge was considered dangerous as it is unable to allow much traffic.

Meanwhile, members of Singhbhum Chamber of Commerce and Industries (SCCI) have welcomed government’s move to initiate the process of ensuring the start of project talks.

Talks have been doing the rounds for the past couple of years. But results had not been achieved till now, members lamented.