E-Paper
Punjab Mandi Board in dock over ‘irregularities’ in NHAI work
The Punjab Mandi Board is in the dock for alleged regularities in the construction and maintenance of beautification work in between service roads on the National Highway-95, Mullanpur
The Punjab Mandi Board is in the dock for alleged regularities in the construction and maintenance of beautification work in between service roads on the National Highway-95, Mullanpur. It has been alleged that a grant of ₹1.5 crore was received by the board following which a simple drawing without mentioning any dimensions was submitted and no cost estimation was done.
The grant for the beautification was received and the Punjab Mandi Board was asked to execute it though it is not authorised to do any work for the NHAI, said Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Dakha in-charge KNS Kang.
Moreover, the NHAI through written communiques (in possession with HT) has been pointing to discrepancies in the work being done by the Punjab Mandi Board for the beautification.
Raising a question mark on the entire process and calling it a scam, Kang said since there was no cost estimation, the selection of contractors is a big question mark. “On what basis was the contractor selected if they didn’t have a cost estimation or dimensions?” he asked.
Ludhiana additional deputy commissioner, development, Amit Kumar Panchal, said, “Once we get the details of the matter formally, we will get it thoroughly examined.”
Documents accessed by HT show that Municipal Council, Mullanpur, Dakha, on February 30, 2022, addressed a letter to the Punjab Mandi Board raising an objection stating there was no approval of drawing by the NHAI and there had been no discussion about the validity of the NOC.
In another letter on April 28, 2022, the project director of the NHAI had written to the executive engineer, Punjab Mandi Board, that there had been a deviation in the construction and maintenance of beautification work, including installation of highway lighting and interlocking paving blocks on vacant space in between the service road of Mullanpur, Dakha.
They have also referred to the report of the independent engineer of the project M/s Louis Berger Group Inc. Ludhiana.
The independent engineer noted the deficiencies that the dimensions of the interlocked area are not mentioned in the drawing and hence they have asked the proposer to resubmit the drawing with undertaking for construction. Another letter by the NHAI dated May 9, 2022, stated that the work was not being done as per the required conditions or guidelines and permission for this project will be withdrawn in case the work is not executed as per guidelines.
“The government-approved rates for the streetlights in villages is around ₹3,300 per light. And yet what is shocking is that 84 lights have been installed at over 10 times the cost at a staggering ₹37,000 per light. This huge difference is a clear case of moral and financial impropriety,” said Kang, while adding that they will also be filing a complaint with the vigilance cell in the matter.
