Poor quality materials used in road: MCG takes action against 4 officials

Officials said two samples of materials used in the construction of the road had failed the quality test after which an inquiry went on for two years and the vigilance department has submitted recommendations to take stringent action against the officials

The vigilance department of the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) has recommended action against two executive engineers and two sub-divisional officers after samples of materials used in the construction of a road at Nathupur in DLF Phase 3 failed a quality test. The road was constructed at an approximate cost of ₹2.25 crore in 2021, said officials on Friday.

Nathupur road was built at a cost of ₹2.25 crore in 2021.

Officials said two samples of materials used in the construction of the road had failed the quality test after which an inquiry went on for two years and the vigilance department has submitted recommendations to take stringent action against the officials.

Rohtash Bishnoi, additional municipal commissioner, said the four officers have been chargesheeted under the Haryana Civil Services Rule 8. “All the four officers are no longer posted in the MCG. We received complaints from local residents regarding the poor quality of the road. They had alleged that poor construction materials were used after which we collected their samples,” he said.

The four officials are likely to face departmental action, said officials.

Bishnoi said that taking cognisance of the complaint, the then MCG commissioner handed over the investigation to the vigilance department.

“We had collected samples and sent them for a thorough examination, but they failed the quality test. The thickness and strength of the road was not in accordance with prescribed norms. While the bills were paid to the contractor who constructed the road, the sample reports were submitted to the vigilance department. The negligence and connivance of the officers can be gauged from the fact that they insisted on releasing the payment in a hurry,” Bishnoi added.

In November 2021, the MCG had given the task of constructing the road to the contractor. The road was completed in about six months, officials said.

The vigilance team of the MCG is probing 60 cases related to poor construction work and corruption. “Every case is being thoroughly investigated by the vigilance team. We receive several complaints, including the rampant use of substandard construction materials,” said Bishnoi.

The MCG has been facing a lot of criticism for using poor quality materials for construction. In the past, there have been several instances where roads and other infrastructure projects were completed in time but failed to last for even a few years.