The appellant re-considered the claim, and by a letter dated 17.04.2017 informed the respondents that the original decision of repudiation is affirmed as they did not find any justifiable reason for accepting the claim. The relevant portion of the said communication dated 17.04.2017 is as follows: “We refer to your letter Ref: 17011/27/2006- kota/CAR/RJ-05/3909, dt: 18.01.2017 and Contractor letter Ref: HZ-6718, dt: 04.02.2017 and also the subsequent meeting held at our office-Chennai. On perusal of the documents provided, we find that no further points have emerged in support of the claim. In view of the above we regret our inability to reconsider the claim which was repudiated.” 912. In the meanwhile, respondents no. 1 and 2 completed the work under the contract by 31.07.2017. The bridge was inaugurated and put to public use from 29.08.2017, and it is said to be operating since then. 13. Almost after 2 years of the rejection of the claim, on 24.01.2019, respondents no. 1 and 2 filed