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Substandard material used in ‘killer’ Chandigarh Airport Road: Punjab VB
At least 11 accidents have taken place on Airport Road since January, in which two people have lost their lives. The road is riddled with pits making it a commuters’ nightmare.
A team of Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) and road construction engineers on Tuesday found the use of substandard material in constructing the Airport Road.
At least 11 accidents have taken place on Airport Road since January, in which two people have lost their lives. The road is riddled with pits making it a commuters’ nightmare.
VB spokesperson said on basis of complaints, bureau chief director BK Uppal along with public works department (PWD) and Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) engineers and experts of the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) excavated the 200 feet road at two points.
He said it has been found “prima facie” that the road was not designed properly taking into consideration the actual soil (clay) and traffic conditions (heavy vehicles) at the site and the material used was not as per the prescribed specifications in the contract.
‘Killer’ Chandigarh Airport Road continues to be commuters’ nightmare
Uppal said GMADA had already received a sampling report from the CRRI. The CRRI experts have been asked to collect some more samples from the locations selected by the technical teams of VB, PWD and GMADA and submit a report after a thorough analysis so that the exact findings could be reviewed by the bureau.
The vigilance chief said further action will be taken against the guilty engineers and contractor on the basis of the CRRI reports. After digging the road for fresh samples, senior engineers present on the spot also confirmed that irregularities were committed during its construction, due to which the road got damaged in a short span.
Sources said the 28-point report submitted by the CRRI to GMADA officials a few days ago lacked remedial measures and did not include the recommendations made by the National Institute of Technical Teachers Training and Research (NITTER). Not satisfied with the “sugar-coated” report, GMADA has asked the institute to send another report within a week.
“Given the importance of the case, the report lacked depth and samples taken by the authorities were from a select few places,” said a senior GMADA official. The report had mentioned that pebbles found at the riverside were used to make the road against the rules.
