The Civil works of DPEP Gujarat constitutes 24 % of the allocation of the DPEP project. It is the most tangible component of the project & also requires considerable care in providing an excellent environment for activity based learning & as well as ensuring quality construction which takes care of contextual aspect of the design.

Keeping in view of the unique flexible nature of the DPEP project with reference to the live situations the following has been the events & achievements in the March 99 to June 99 quarter.

Continuing the Design renewal with ASAG the design comments of the MHRD for BRC designs & New school design.

Nine (9) Final Type Designs of BRC & Seven(7) Final school designs already prepared.Tender Bids & NCB process approved from World Bank & five BRC’s have been awarded work. Work is generated at Lintel/Roof level has commenced. 4 other BRC evaluation has been finalized.

Site specific designs of Additional classrooms have been finalised for all three districts. Execution is in progress.

The final design has been submitted by Chief Architect with justification for Design Comments & these have been submitted to Ed.CiL, Bank for final approval. Hostel Block Design have been finalised.

This quarter's thrust areas generally are as follows:

The detailed progress & position are as follows :

SPO : State Engineer : 1 post : 1 filled Assistant Engineer : 3 post : 3 filled In the light of the increased work load additional staff on contract basis has been inducted.( 2 posts at SPO).1AE is given the task of monitoring one district.

DISTRICTS:

A Walk in interview was held at the SPO to prepare a panel of TRP’s (Technical Resource persons) to be taken up in the districts as and when necessary depending on the workload. During the last quarter, 3 TRP’s left in Banaskantha,2 TRP’s in Dangs, 2 in Panchmahals. These vacancies were filled up from the above waitlist panel. As per site requirement & formula of having not more than 10 sites per TRP. Additional TRP’s have been posted in districts and the position is indicated below.

Panchmahals : District Engineer & AE (DPO) : 2 posts (1+1) : 2 Filled TRP : 8 post : 8 filled.(103 Sites)

Banaskantha : District Engineer & AE ( DPO): 2 posts (1+1) : 2 filled, TRP : 7 post, 7 filled.(75 Sites)

Dangs : District Engineer : 1 post : 1 Filled. TRP: 2 posts: 2 filled. (43 Sites)

The entire expenditure will be borne under the Civil Works Head.

For the BRC’s , most of the sites have acquired & site survey have been completed and the details have been sent to the consultants for site specific designs.The remaining sites which are 2 out of 19 are being finalised.

A notable contribution is of the local Taluka functionary in Panchmahals who has donated land for the BRC at Shehra worth at least Rs 30-40 lakhs at current market prices.

The construction manual (procedures) is already approved. A Village committee manual has been finalised. It has been specifically prepared in Gujarati also. Simple lucid language has been used & many sketches have also been used. The quantity take off for major items like cement,steel,sand at various stages of construction has also been included. The community manual prepared by Ed.CiL has been adapted & included in the VCWC manual after considering the local conditions.

To effectively use the three m’s viz : men,material & money and have advantage of the well developed panchayat structure,the District Civil works committee,the Taluka Civil works committee & the Village civil works committee have been formed as per the guidelines of the MHRD & Bank rules.The VCWC consists of the following members;

Using the detailed computerized repair survey procedure devised lst year this year & quarter,the blocks which have not been covered are targeted this year. & a detailed manual has been devised. The general condition of schools esp. those which are old is quite adverse. The Dist authorities do not usually provide any funds for repair & maintenance. Hence many of the schools are requiring extensive repair. Last year the State Govt. has launched a special scheme for construction of additional school rooms all over the state include. the 3 DPEP districts.Hence it is proposed to take this factor in account to adequately direct the Civil works intervention in the form of repair.Since the problem of DPEP to increase ERQ(Enrollment ,retention,quality) in the existing schools,it is felt that repair of these schools would go in a long way to achieve the goals. 

In view of the above,a detailed,systemised & computerized method has been adopted for the repair program.The principal approach has been to get an accurate data on the amount required for the repair. Schools requiring immediate & urgent repair & are in a state where the condition is such that the learning process is obstructed during severe seasons & monsoon. A computer program for input of data of the survey forms has been completed in house using FoxPro & is being used to prepare a master list which is being approved by the DDO/DPO/DPE. The program also is used to prepare an allocation list as per the guidelines of DPEP.

This year’s allocations are proposed to be targeted at blocks not taken up last year. Based on last years experiences & also refining the repair processes ,this year a two tier approval process was formulated at the SPO consisting of 1) Administrative Approval through the DDO & SPD after personal site visits of the DDO.2) Technical Approval after visit to site by the SPE/Consultant civil works. However looking into the time consuming procedure, it is now being modified to have check by DPEO and Consultant civil works. This is now being started and award of surveyed works has begun.

6. GCERT:

The land for the GCERT building has been allotted at sec-11 at Gandhinagar. It has an approx. area of around 28000 sq.mts. The preliminary design was prepared by the Chief Architect & submitted to Ed.CiL. The design concept has been accepted in principle subject to certain observations. The final design has been submitted by the Chief Architect.The NCB document is currently being prepared. A reputed Structural designer is being identified for structural design & estimation. The Electrical & Landscape consultants are also being finalised. The SPO is also engaged in preparing A design for the Compound wall for the GCERT. The Design for Hostel blocks have been received. The structural design and Bill of quantities/ Estimates is being given to a consultant .So that NCB can be prepared accordingly.

7. PROPOSAL FOR INNOVATION FUND

This fund is proposed to be utilized in four ways:

1. Use of Prefab technologies for remote locations where basic materials/water/labour are not available.

In this context, Eleven companies have put up models made of different prefab materials at Gandhinagar under the Co-ordination of DPEP. Based on the evaluation the SPO will be inviting agencies having proven prefab material to erect school rooms based on the DPEP pedagogic requirements in remote areas where conventional construction is not possible due to lack of water/materials/labour.

2. Construction of prototype for cost effective technologies and allied engineers training.

A meeting was held at SPO with Senior consultant Ed.CiL, Consultant of Vikalp (Bihar) to work out the modalities for performing training on cost effective technologies at the SPO in early March.The scheme envisages training of Engineers at SPO & then carrying out district level actions through support of the consultant/local consultant for implementing the cost effective methods on the existing designs.The consultant would also be involved for recalculating the estimates with cost effective technologies in various components & producing rationalization of designs.The Engineers would be trained as per these designs & at least 25% of next years schools are proposed to have cost effective construction. The TOR is being finalized.

The training necessities & VCWC formations have been completed & construction of New schools in Banaskantha & Panchmahals have commenced. In some of the schools progress is upto roof levels. The other schools are at plinth or sill levels. In the case of the additional classrooms, Construction has started in Dangs, Panchmahals & Banaskantha.In most of the sites,the Lintel work in progress.InDangs some of the schools have reached the lintel level.In all for new schools around 38 in Banaskantha,42 in Panchmahals & 7 in Dangs are under construction. Additional classrooms : In all 30 in Banaskantha,48 in Panchmahals & 30 in Dangs are in progress. Approval at 40 New school for Banaskantha district & 39 New school for Panchmahal district has been finalized & issue the order for VCWC formation & execution for this year target.

This year toilets are being provided in schools which have std 1 to 7 which have no or absolutely no toilet/urinal facility.The compilation list has been finalised.The execution orders have been issued & construction has commenced plinth level in all three districts.

All the new schools are being provided with toilets & water supply as they are in remote areas which have difficult access.The water supply is being given to sites where toilets are being provided checking the fact that the existing water facilitiesare highly inadequate or not available.

This year five BRC bids have been awarded & construction work has been completed.Three are in Panchmahals
( Zalod,Limkheda & Jambhughoda) & 2 in Banaskantha ( Dhanera & Shihori).Four more bids have been advertised & evaluation has been finalized.(2 in Panchmahals:Halol & Godhra,2 in Banaskantha: Vadgam & Deesa) & work order has been issued .The designs for four more are almost final & their bids will be advertised shortly.

Considerable efforts have been made to involve the community fully so that a sense of ownership can be instilled in them. In light of this a comprehensive training program has been started & the VCWC have been allotted funds from the DPO. Till up to October-99 around 659.24 Lakhs have been actual expenditure to all the 3 districts and 1999-2000 Budget 159.00 Lakhs have been credited to all target VCWCs in 2 districts.

The DPEP Gujarat Civil works are therefore now poised for accelaration for achieving the goals & objectives of the DPEP philosophy & programme.