Construction giant L&T has objected to the sudden cancellation of the completion certificate for the Medigadda Barrage, part of the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project in Telangana. This move comes over 1,500 days after the project’s completion, raising eyebrows in the construction industry.
L&T claims the cancellation violates the contract and contractor rights. The company sent a letter to the Superintending Engineer of Kaleshwaram Project, Ramagundam Irrigation Circle, arguing that no pending works were notified earlier when the completion certificate was issued.
The dispute arose when the Irrigation Department Secretary, Rahul Bojja, requested the cancellation, citing unfinished repairs and incomplete works. The department then asked L&T to return the original completion certificate.
In response, L&T outlined several points defending the project’s completion. The company received the cancellation notice via email on September 24 and by post on September 28. They highlighted key dates, including the substantial completion certificate issued on September 10, 2019, and the project’s inauguration on June 21, 2019. L&T also noted that additional works were completed by November 13, 2020, with the final completion certificate issued on March 15, 2021.
Crucially, L&T argues that the department didn’t notify any pending works before June 29, 2020, or March 15, 2021, which they claim validates the completion certificate’s legitimacy.
-Sanyogita
