STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: The State Vigilance Organisation (SVO) on Monday booked a Superintending Engineer, PWD (R&B), two Executive Engineers (XENs) and two contractors for illegal allotting and executing work of a bridge during the period 2012-13.
FIR 06/2017 has been registered against D D Gorkha, the then Superintending Engineer, PWD(R&B) Circle, Udhampur, P.S Sehgal the then Superintending Engineer, PWD (R&B) Reasi-Udhampur, Circle, A.K Gandotra the then Executive Engineer PWD(R&B) Division,Udhampur, V.K Sharma the then Executive Engineer PWD(R&B) Division,Udhampur and accused beneficiaries namely Ashok Kumar and Harminder Singh on the basis of verification conducted into the allegations of glaring irregularities and gross violations committed by the above named accused public servants in allotment/execution work of bridge during the period 2012-13.
Fir under section 5 (1) (d) read with 5 (2) J&K P.C Act 2006 and 120-B RPC has been registered.
Director SVO Munir Khan said, “The verification has revealed that the construction of abutments (left & right) for 41.50 mts clear span motorable bridge on Thalora Sartari road (at Dugee Khad) including construction of approaches was allotted at a much higher cost of Rs 92.75 lakhs than the advertized cost of Rs 81.70 lakhs in which only two contractors Ashok Kumar and Harminder Singh participated.”
The concerned Superintending Engineer PWD (R&B) Circle, Udhampur instead of re-tendering the work in order to ensure fair competition allotted the work to their blue eyed contractor namely Ashok Kumar. Verification has further revealed that the Superintending Engineer, PWD (R&B) Circle Udhampur and Executive Engineer PWD (R&B) Division Udhampur in league with each other subsequently allotted remaining works of Rs 177.28 lacs without calling tenders.However, in order to cover up their illegal acts have accorded 03 post facto approvals for Rs Rs 60.00 lakhs, Rs 42.08 lakhs and Rs 60.00 lakhs and besides 01 additional work order of Rs. 15.20 against the said work was allotted to the same contractor. The verification revealed that the accused officers/officials have grossly exceeded their monetary limit.
Verification has also revealed that the other tendered work namely dismantling of existing 41.50 mtr steel grid motorable bridge over Khu nallah on Udhampur Ramnagar road and its re-launching on Thalora Sartari road over Dugee Khad including laying of RCC bed plates and deck slab was also allotted at a higher cost of Rs 28.01 lakhs against an advertized cost of Rs 22 lakhs in which only above said blue eyed two contractors participated and work was allotted to contractor Harminder Singh by Executive Engineer PWD (R&B) Division Udhampur. No rate analysis has been done by the said officials to arrive at the reasonability of rates thus making all the allowed rates doubtful. The investigation of the case has been taken up.
