Bhopal(Madhya Pradesh): The national highway gets washed away after every monsoon because mandatory inspection and tests are not carried out and the department concerned fails to take action against contractors responsible for the same, says a report of Comptroller and Auditor General of India. The CAG report for the year ended March 2020 was tabled in the state assembly, on Thursday. Constructions and up-gradation of NH are done by the Public Works Department (PWD). The report stated that neither the executive engineers nor the chief engineer inspected and monitored the work on stipulated frequency.
According to the report, 43 works of five NHs divisions were audited for the works undertaken between 2017 and 2020. The report had at the serious negligence of the department officials while preparing the tenders, it quotes “Audit noticed deficiencies in preparation of estimates like incorrect estimation, provisions of unwarranted items and non-inclusion of essential items in the estimates, invitation of tender on inflated estimates, adaptation of incorrect rate and many other irregularities”.
The audit report also speaks of the financial irregularities; it quotes, “Audit also noticed irregularities pertaining to inadmissible and excess payment of price adjustment to the contractor, non-deductions of advances and royalty, delay in completion of work and many more”. Hundreds of crores of rupees were spent on the construction of the roads, but no testing of the quality was undertaken as district-level laboratories lack required equipment and gadgets. The report quotes “Multiple issues affecting the level of quality assurance to be derived such as non-conducting of mandatory tests, not carrying out tests of road works for departmental laboratories and non-availability of equipment in district level laboratories”.
Irregularities in road construction
-In the construction of Sagar -Vidisha-Sanchi section road an inflated rate of Rs 4.32 crore has come to fore. Similarly, Indore Betul road was constructed at an inflated rates of Rs 3.77 crore. The total inflated estimation of Rs 8.11 crore was found by the CAG.
-While constructing Rewa-Satna, Indore Betul and Indore Ahmedabad roads, the original scope work was withdrawn, which gave Rs 3.89 crore loss to the state exchequer.
-Undue financial favours of around Rs 11.76 crore were given to the contractors in three roads projects. Besides, Rs 6.42 lakh was paid to contractors in excess on account of price adjustment.
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