C’garh: 2 PWD officers suspended for irregularities in road project, exposed by the slain Bastar journalist

Raipur: Two officers of state public works department (PWD) were on Saturday suspended for irregularities in a road project undertaken in Bijapur district in south Bastar of Chhattisgarh.

A local journalist Mukesh Chandrakar was brutally killed allegedly for exposing corruption in the implementation of the Rs 188 crore road project last month.

The contractor of the project Suresh Chandrakar and his two brothers along with his supervisor were earlier arrested in connection with the murder of the journalist, who was also his relative.

“A probe into the ongoing construction of 52.40 km Nelsnar-Kodoli-Mirtur-Gangaloor road in Bijapur has found large scale irregularities in the implementation of the project. There is prima facie evidence that the nexus of officials and contractor/ construction agency has caused wastage of government money”, deputy chief minister Arun Sao who holds the PWD portfolio, said.

He said that the probe has indicated embezzlement, submission of faulty evaluation and corruption in the project.

Sub-divisional officer (SDO) of PWD R K Sinha and sub engineer of the department G S Kodopi were suspended, while executive engineer of the department B L Dhruv (retired) has been issued a show cause notice seeking a reply within 15 days, he said.

The state government has also ordered to lodge an FIR against the three people and other officers found involved in the case, Mr Sao said.

Earlier, the state government ordered a probe by chief engineer, PWD, Bastar circle, into the reports of the irregularities in the project following exposure of corruption in it by the slain journalist in his news platform.

The project cost has escalated from Rs 73.08 crore in 2010 to Rs 188.78 crore in 2021.

Suresh Chandrakar was awarded the contract for constructing 32.40 km of the project.

The project cost for the particular portion of the road undertaken by Suresh Chandra has escalated from Rs 54.07 crore in 2010 to Rs 144.39 crore in 2021.

The contractor was sanctioned Rs 116 crore for completing 24.90 km of 32.40 km road, awarded to him.