Even as the State Government is yet to overcome the allegations levelled against Works Secretary Nalini Kanta Pradhan for substandard construction work of various important bridges like Gurupriya and Jatamunida resulting in their collapse yet a fresh charge of corruption to the tune of Rs 300 crore in road construction has put the Government in more trouble.
In order to strengthen communication facility, particularly in tribals-dominated areas, a huge allocation has been made in last three years for construction of nearly 100 projects under the State Highway Development Project (SHDP) in the Engineering Procurement (EPC) mode of tender. An estimated cost of Rs 2,264 crore has been earmarked for the purpose.
Reliable sources revealed that all the 100 projects’ DPRs have been prepared basing on the SBC (Soil Bearing Capacity) and also taking into consideration the SBC value randomly as 4, 5 or 6 square meter of the design of crust thickness which naturally comes with 900 mm to 1200 mm of different layers such as sand, GSB, WMM, Gr II WMM, Gr I, BM and SDBC as per road specifications.
In these projects, the rate of the road has been estimated as per rate/per km length where the total thickness of road along with the culvert works and beam development included together which comes to Rs 2.5 crore per km as per the estimate.
However, at the time of execution, it is seen that the actual SBC comes to 9,10 square meter. As a result, the consultant of EPC project recommended the actual crust thickness of the road comes to less than that provided in the original estimate, and the agency has executed less thickness of GSB and WMM layer but got the original thickness cost where nearly Rs 300 crore was misappropriated, if the Nilali Madhapur Road and EPC road work at Phulbani (R&B) Division are take into account.
“A lion share is being pocketed by Works Department bosses,” said sources.