Nuagaon: After receiving allegations from locals, a central audit team visited Nuagaon block and pointed out several discrepancies in implementation of the Kansara-Jamankira road under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) in this block in Sundargarh district.
The central audit team asked executive engineer of the Rural Development Department to answer to a show-cause notice explaining the reasons for leaving the projects incomplete, poor monitoring and infective utilisation of funds
Sources said, the projection of Kansara-Jamankira road was included under PMGSY-2017-18 financial year. The project was under by the Rural Development Department and a tender (tender no- OR-08) of the road was awarded to a local contractor named Tulasi Construction.
The project cost was estimated as Rs 5.73 crore for the construction of 14 km long road. Locals alleged that irregularities to the tune of Rs1 crore was committed in this project work.
Locals alleged that a nexus between departmental officers and the contractor resulted in a substandard road construction.
The fund was sanctioned for 14 km road but the contractor has completed only 8 km in the block. The remaining 6 km road is yet to be completed.
However the department has withdrawn the total sanctioned money for 14km road May, 2019 after producing the bill of 14 km road.
It was alleged that the road laying works are of very low quality in many places. Local villagers have been running from pillar to post complaining about the low quality of work, but all in vain.
On the other hand, the department officials are trying to avoid the complainants saying that there is no low quality of work anywhere.
As per the scheme the road construction would be undertaken by putting two layers of gravelling followed by a layer of black topping. However quality of the construction work has been compromised to mint money, locals added.
When contacted, rural development department’s Executive Engineer Pradeep Mohanty said, I have recently joined in the district Rural Development Department, so I am not aware about the matter. However the contractor was instructed to complete the road work.