Indian Express: Chennai: Wednesday, November 22, 2017.
The Greater
Chennai Corporation spent over Rs 65 lakh on just one road Devanathan Street
at Mandaveli which includes a ‘false bill’ of Rs 26 lakh for ‘road cut
repair’, Arappor Iyakkam has claimed. They managed to establish the figures
through a series of RTI applications.
According to
RTI responses, the contract for the road work was taken up by a private
contractor, J Santhanam, and was completed on May 30, 2016 at a cost of Rs
36,97,776. A month later in July, the road was cut by Chennai Metropolitan
Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB).
Following
this, a ‘patch work’ was undertaken at a total cost of Rs 2.25 lakh by another
contractor, MPK Enterprises. However, earlier a resolution had been passed by
the corporation council on March 23, 2015 for contractors to repair the roads
laid by them.
“Why was it
not given to the same contractor for repair?” asked Jayaram Venkatesan,
convenor of Arappor Iyakkam, speaking to the press on Tuesday.
After the
patchwork was done, the RTIs further revealed that another bill was raised for
the same road for Rs 26.5 lakh, in December, barely seven months after the road
work was completed.
“There was no
road laid in December and this bill for almost Rs 26 lakh, 70 per cent of the
original road laying cost, seems to be false,” said Venkatesan. Today, a-year-and-a-half
later, the road is again damaged, he added.
In a
statement on Tuesday, Arappor said the road was now full of potholes even when
it was still under the warranty period of three years, as specified in the
contract awarded to J Santhanam.
Arappor plans
to file a complaint with the Ombudsman of Local Bodies in this regard. “Next,
we are planning to expose the nexus between the contractors, officials and
politicians that result in corruption in Chennai Corporation,” said Jayaram.
The RTIs were filed by Nakkeeran P, treasurer of the Iyakkam.
When
contacted, a senior corporation official said that he will verify the charges.
Meanwhile,
the Chennai based NGO said the city police had warned them of law and order
issues if they invited members of the public for the press meet.
“They had
sent us a notice stating that the city police had received information on
outsiders who plan to take part in the event and create law and order problems.
Why haven’t they deployed any kind of security here today?” said Jayaram.
Keep at it
warriors, tweets Kamal Haasan
Actor Kamal
Haasan has come out in support of Arappor Iyakkam’s report, tweeting, “Thanks
and wishes to my Arappor Iyakkam brothers. This is answer to all those who
questioned me and sought proof. Let many such evidence follow. This is just
expose 1. Keep at it Arappor warriors.”
Questions
raised
- If a metrowater road cut that would stop entire traffic was planned in July, why was the road laid on 30 May, 2016 at the cost of D37 lakh?
- What was the purpose of patchwork on September 24 by MPK enterprises when the road had been laid barely 4 months ago?
- If the road was patched up again on September 24 and opened for traffic thereafter, why was an additional bill of D26,50,104 raised?
- What are the actions that the Corporation will initiate against the officials and contractors involved?
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