Bhikangaon (Madhya Pradesh): A newly constructed cement-concrete drain in Padlya Babaji village collapsed within 10 days of completion, raising questions over the quality of panchayat development works.
The drain, built at a cost of more than Rs 4 lakh, gave way after about 30 minutes of rainfall, exposing alleged shortcomings in construction and supervision.
Janpad member Jagan Chauhan said he had complained to the concerned officials about the poor quality of construction while the work was in progress, but they took no action.
He alleged that contractors used substandard materials and inadequate steel reinforcement in violation of prescribed norms, causing the structure to develop cracks and collapse during the first spell of rain.
He also questioned the role of the panchayat secretary and the project's monitoring.
Janpad Panchayat Bhikangaon CEO Nilesh Solanki said officials had taken note of the matter and ordered an inquiry.
He said authorities would take appropriate action if the investigation establishes irregularities or deficiencies in construction quality.
