The municipal corporation (MC) paid Rs 44.7 lakh in excess to the contractor for the Jagraon Bridge retaining wall construction project, a third-party audit ordered by the state government has revealed.
Following an inquiry into the suspected embezzlement of funds meant for the project, the state government, on the recommendations of MC commissioner Pardeep Sabharwal, had ordered a third-party techno-financial audit in August last year.
Following the revelations through the audit report, the state government has now asked MC to recover the amount from the contractor and submit a report.
The corporation has also been asked to provide clarification on certain points, including revision of design and non-approval of some rates by the competent authority.
The points highlighted in the audit report include extension of indirect benefit for non-compliance of performance security clause, excess payment on account of rate allowed beyond awarded rates, excess payment on account of carriage of rubble, no credit for steel against dismantled reinforced cement concrete and avoidable expenditure for excessive thickness of parapet wall, among others.
“Notices will now be issued to MC officials concerned and the contractor citing the recommendations of the audit. The process to recover the amount will be initiated after receiving a reply to the notices,” said MC commissioner Pardeep Sabharwal, who has also directed additional commissioner Rishipal Singh to submit an action-taken report in this regard by January 15.
{{/usCountry}}“Notices will now be issued to MC officials concerned and the contractor citing the recommendations of the audit. The process to recover the amount will be initiated after receiving a reply to the notices,” said MC commissioner Pardeep Sabharwal, who has also directed additional commissioner Rishipal Singh to submit an action-taken report in this regard by January 15.
{{/usCountry}}Singh was not immediately available for his comments despite multiple attempts to reach him.
In August last year, mayor Balkar Singh Sandhu had raised objections over the alleged Rs 77-lakh discrepancies in the retaining wall construction project, which was being carried out at a cost of around Rs 2 crore.
Sandhu had alleged that certain officials had sought permission to increase the project cost by Rs 44 lakh on the pretext of design change, prompting the state government to order an audit.
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) councillors led by leader of opposition in MC General House, Harbhajan Singh Dang, had also sought action against the officials for the alleged discrepancies.
Amid the row, the historical, bowstring-girder bridge, constructed in 1888, was thrown open to traffic in October following repairs lasting over four years.