Jhumpura: Amid allegations of large-scale irregularities in rural road connectivity programme, construction of a road project under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) has been abandoned midway with its botched up work in Jhumpura in Keonjhar district. Surprisingly, the two road projects were projected as ‘completed’ as per official documents.
According to reports, the government has spent crores of rupees to lay roads in rural areas. But there are complaints of irregularities in completing the PMGSY road projects in this tribal-dominated block.
The Rural Development Department has been executing road projects under the PMGSY through contractors.
In some cases, PMGY road works have been botched up while black-topping. Some roads have eroded within a few months or years after their completion. Some PMGSY roads are in bad shape due to substandard work.
According to reports, the Nayagad-Shradhhapanka road and the Mahadevpur-Parbatipur road built under the PMGSY were completed as per official documents.
Reality check on the spot has revealed that construction of the two roads have been left halfway.
Guard walls have not been erected at places while murram filling needed at some places has been ignored or forgotten, alleged the locals.
At places, black-topping of roads have peeled off within a year.
Whenever locals take up the issue with the Rural Development Division at Jhumpura, the authorities explain that the two road works have been completed. The locals were upset over the condition of the two roads.
The RD had made an estimation of over Rs 1.34 crore for the 3.03-km Mahadevpur-Parbatipur road. The work was taken up November 4, 2015 and concluded November 3, 2016.
Similarly, Rs 1.79 core had been estimated for the 3.9-km Nayagad-Shradhapanka road. The project which started January 5, 2016 was completed January 4, 2017.
Oblivious of the road condition, the RD department claims that the two projects have been completed.
Contacted, Jhumpura RD assistant executive engineer Balabhadra Marandi said the roads works were completed, but some other works are yet to be completed. Contractors have been advised to complete them as soon as possible, he added.