The collapse of a portion of the under-construction Bomikhal flyover on Thursday night which killed a labourer and left another critically injured has triggered strong reactions among opposition party leaders.
The BJP at a Press conference here on Friday alleged that in all big and small construction projects the ruling party leaders are involved. Due to percentage collection and embezzlement of funds allotted for the projects, the construction works are of inferior quality. Though the Bomikhal flyover executing agency, Panda Infra limited, was blacklisted, on whose pressure the firm was again allowed the project work and the project cost was increased from Rs 60 crore to Rs 90 crore, questioned BJP State spokesperson Sajjan Sharma.
He demanded a CBI probe into the incident and also questioned why and in whose interest Works Secretary Nalini Kanta Pradhan’s tenure was extended by one year after his superannuation though many under-construction bridges have collapsed during his incumbency.
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan took to his Twitter handle and reacted on the incident soon after the mishap and expressed his grief to the bereaved family of the deceased labourer. He also prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.
leader of Opposition (loP) in the State Assembly Narasingha Mishra reacting sharply over the flyover collapse on his Twitter alleged that the inefficiency of the State Government as well as its involvement in rampant corruption is responsible for such malaise.
All Odisha Contractors’ Association president Prabhat Das said the engineers responsible for supervising the projects are not doing their jobs properly. Percentage culture is rampant. Contractors from outside the State are being given preference. While local contractors are being allotted 30 per cent of the projects, contractors from outside the State are able to bag 70 per cent of them. Besides, in matter of payments, discrimination is made against local contractors, alleged Das.