India, May 7 -- In a race against time - and the Mumbai monsoon - the civic authorities have doubled the fine on contractors who failed to supply steel girders on time for the reconstruction of the Carnac Bunder Bridge. The fine, levied by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), is Rs.20 lakh per day,

"The portion of Carnac Bridge over the railway tracks is complete, but the approaches are yet to be built. We needed 40 girders. We had a meeting with contractors and officers and we told them to supply the girders by April 27. When they failed to arrive by April 30, we fined them Rs.10 lakh per day for delays till May 2. From May 3, the penalty was increased to Rs.20 lakh per day until the girders arrive," said Additional municipal c...