Roads scam: BMC turns on heat on 30 engineers

After indicting 16 road contractors for doing a shoddy repair job, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is likely to take action against 30 engineers who were responsible for looking after the work.

The inquiry team headed by chief engineer SO Kori found several irregularities in road repairs carried out over the last three years. While the first phase of inquiry of 34 roads - completed in April - had pointed out serious malpractices in the work, the second phase of investigation of 200 roads also highlighted the contractors' shoddy job.

Job poorly done
According to the sources, about 30 road engineers are likely to face action for not doing enough to stop irregularities in road repairs.

A senior civic official said, "With the number of roads being more, the number of engineers likely to face inquiry or suspension is also expected to go up. The scam could not have happened without engineers' support or involvement.
The report has raised questions over the role of at least 30 engineers of the road department."

Municipal commissioner Ajoy Mehta said, "We are going to take strong action on officials who have helped contractors." He, however, refused to divulge how many engineers are in the dock.

After the second phase of inquiry, the BMC decided to withhold Rs 908 crore payment due to the 16 contractors. The total amount withheld includes Rs 572 crore for road crust, which is missing, Rs 117 crore for transportation of debris, and Rs 62 crore for excavation of road debris.

After the first phase of inquiry, the BMC had suspended two department heads - chief engineer of roads department Ashok Pawar and chief engineer of vigilance department Uday Murudkar. The civic body had lodged an FIR against six tainted contractors - KR Construction, J Kumar, RPS Infraprojects, RK Madhani, Mahavir Infraprojects and Relcon Infraprojects - at the Azad Maidan police station.

A Special Investigation Team set up by the Mumbai Police have so far arrested 26 people, including two chief engineers and one executive engineer. Also, the civic body is in the process of blacklisting these tainted six contractors.