Road scam: BMC files FIR against 6 contractors

The BMC-appointed inquiry team inspected 14 roads from the island city, 11 in western suburbs and nine in the eastern suburbs

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Wednesday registered a first information report against six contractors and two auditors at the Azad Maidan police station in connection with a road construction scam. The FIR was registered under sections 120 (A) (criminal conspiracy), 197 (producing false documents) and 420 (cheating) of the IPC by chief engineer (roads) Manohar Pawar.

The FIR states the shoddy job by contractors cost the civic body more than Rs10 crore of public money.(HT File)

During the inspection of 14 roads from the island city, 11 in western suburbs and nine in the eastern suburbs, the BMC-appointed inquiry team found massive irregularities in road repair and reconstruction work, as the foundation of the roads was not according to the standard and the quality of road work was shoddy, states the FIR, a copy of which is with HT.

Taking note of the findings, municipal commissioner Ajoy Mehta suspended two chief engineers, and started the process of blacklisting six contractors and two third party auditors. He submitted the road repair inquiry report to mayor Snehal Ambekar on Monday.

The FIR states the shoddy job by contractors cost the civic body more than Rs10 crore of public money.

The six contractors — KR Construction, J Kumar, RPS Infraprojects, RK Madhani, Mahavir Infraprojects and Relcon Infraprojects -- as well as two third-party auditors appointed for quality check of work -- SGS Consultancy and IRS (Indian Register of Shipping) — have been named in the FIR.

“Now, the police will carry out an investigation and decide the further course of action against guilty. We have registered a case of criminal conspiracy, producing false documents and cheating the municipal corporation to cause loss of public money,” said a senior civic official from the BMC. Pawar confirmed the development, but refused to give more details.

Mehta’s action taken report, a copy of which with HT, states: “It is a complete administrative failure at every level of officers. It seems the third party auditor appointed to check quality of roads, vigilance department who holds responsibility of monitor the work failed to perform their duty.”

The irregularities in the repair works will directly affect the quality of roads, as it will last only half of their expected life. The use of substandard materials, shoddy work in sub-base of roads, use of soil against the concrete are the few things pointed in the report.