In a classic example of how insensibly the Government executes construction work for creating basic infrastructure in the State in an environment of complete lack of coordination among the Government departments, a drain-cum-culvert worth Rs3.5 lakh, constructed by Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) near Mahavir Mandir at Kadru locality in Ranchi was dismantled by the Road Construction Department (RCD), only to get it replaced with a new one merely two days of completion of its construction work.
Taking a serious note of the matter, ward councillor Ashok Badaik has decided to raise the issue in the next board meeting of RMC so that the person responsible for it should get his due.
“This is really unfortunate that the construction work for the allotment passed by me more than one year back was completed just a few weeks back…. Even though the allotment was made by me, the tender was done 2 months back only to get the constructed drain dismantled for the ongoing construction of drainage system by the RCD across the State capital,” said Badaik.
Badaik blamed it on poor coordination between the RMC and RCD which resulted into the wastage or public funds. “I personally feel that it is a clear cut misuse of government funds which resulted due to lack of coordination between the two departments of the State Government,” said Badaik.
Badaik further added that the responsibility for the wastage of government funds this time lies completely on the RMC. “Fund which could have been utilized for other developmental works has been completely wasted due to irresponsible attitude of RMC and the persons responsible for it must be punished,” Badaik added.
People carrying out the construction work for RCD also asserted that despite their warnings, construction of the drain was carried out by the RMC contractor.
“We told the RMC contractor while doing measurement for our construction work on August 27 that we will have to dismantle the structure if they carry out any construction on the site, but our suggestion was by-passed saying that they could not stop their construction work as they have already been awarded the work order and the bill for the same has been passed. It was the look after of the RMC if the construction was dismantled as they have nothing to do with it,” said Raju Kumar, an employee of Rajesh Constructions carrying out the construction work of drainage system from Main Road to Argora Chowk.
“Only after two days they completed the construction work, we reached the spot and the structure created by them was completely dismantled as it was disrupting our way. Moreover, the construction was not up to our standards which could have solved our purpose,” said Kumar.
Kumar also alleged that their construction work which was moving at a very slow pace, immediately got momentum as soon as their construction work was about to reach near Mahavir Mandir.
Even the shopkeepers who had interrupted the RMC contractor to make it little above the ground level, were told that they need not worry about it as the structure was going be dismantled immediately after its construction.