Contractor accused of shoddy work bags ₹99-crore project in Bengaluru: Report

A contractor, who was accused of sub-standard work and fined ₹3 lakh after a road he had laid caved in days later, has reportedly secured a ₹99-crore project for the Bengaluru Development Authority.

Published on: Dec 2, 2022, 20:08:17 IST

By Yamini C S | Edited by Aniruddha Dhar

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A contractor who was accused of sub-standard work and fined ₹3 lakh after a road he had laid caved in days later, has secured a ₹99 crore project in Karnataka capital Bengaluru. Identified as Ramesh S, he was responsible for laying a road where prime minister Narendra Modi's convoy was set to pass in June.

The ruling BJP in Karnataka continues to face criticism over crumbling infrastructure in the state capital. (HT Photo)

When it caved in and asphalt started peeling off days later, it left the ruling BJP embarrassed. The contractor has now been awarded development work for the Bengaluru Development Authority's (BDA) Visvesvaraya Layout, where he will be developing drains and culverts, and improving footpaths among other things, The New Indian Express reported. These works are worth a total ₹99 crore, it added.

The Mariyappanapalya Main Road near Dr BR Ambedkar School of Economics (BASE) University was laid at the cost of ₹6 crore, and caved in days after the prime minister's convoy passed, with pieces of asphalt peeling off.

READ | Bengaluru civic body spent ₹6 Cr on road for PM's visit. Cave-in the next day

While Ramesh was fined ₹3 lakh, three other engineers were issued a show-cause notice over "sub-standard" asphalting. Congress leaders have levelled allegations of corruption against the Basavaraj Bommai-led government in the state, alleging that ministers demand a 40 per cent "commission" to grant every infrastructure project.

The government-hired contractors are also accused of using low-quality raw materials to cut costs. Karnataka is set to go into assembly election next year.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

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