Bardoli Nagarpalika spent Rs 10 Cr for a 2-KM road

Surat : The Bardoli Nagarpalika, nestled within the jurisdiction of the Surat Urban Development Authority (SUDA), has recently come under scrutiny due to extravagant spending on the construction of a seemingly straightforward two-kilometer road. This lavish expenditure, totaling a staggering Rs 10 crore, has left residents and authorities alike perplexed and has sparked concerns over possible mismanagement of public funds.

The bewildering saga began in 2018 when the Bardoli Nagarpalika approved tenders from two contractors for the construction of a two-kilometer Tree-Mix Road, extending from Amiras Hotel to Alankar Cinema, for a combined cost of Rs 4.21 crore. The project also included plans for tree plantation alongside the road, aiming to enhance the aesthetics and provide green cover.

However, it didn’t take long for concerns to arise. After the road’s completion, potholes began to surface at various locations, and it became evident that the work had not been executed in accordance with the prescribed specifications laid out in the contracts. In response to these glaring issues, the Bardoli Nagarpalika issued notices to the contractors, demanding pothole repairs and written explanations for the subpar workmanship.

What has left the community baffled is that, despite the evident quality issues, the Bardoli Nagarpalika authorities granted completion certificates for the project. Typically, contractors are bound by a five-year maintenance obligation following project completion. However, Bardoli Nagarpalika authorities took an unusual step by allocating an additional Rs 2 crore to a local contractor, Chetan Patel from Bardoli, to rectify the road’s issues.

The Bardoli Nagarpalika authorities misguided the officials of SUDA by stating that the road was never constructed and the funds under 14^th Finance Commission was not utilised anymore.

Darshan Naik, a vigilant social activist, has strongly advocated for strict action against Bardoli Nagarpalika authorities, including the president, CEO, and other engineers, for their role in misleading SUDA authorities and allegedly misappropriating funds through corrupt practices.

Naik contends, “The Municipal Engineer, Chief Officer, and President of Bardoli Nagar Palika provided certificates and undertook that the construction of Canal Road from Amiras Hotel to Alankar Cinema (Right and Left Sides) had not been taken up in any scheme, grant/own fund before and it is a brand new work with no duplication or overlapping of these works. The truth is that the work was approved under the 14th Finance Commission scheme, with Rs 4.21 crore already expended.”

According to Naik, Bardoli Nagarpalika paid Rs 4.21 crore to the initial two contractors, only to later award a third contractor Rs 2 crore for the reconstruction of a road that had already been constructed. Additionally, Bardoli Nagarpalika expended a substantial Rs 84 lakh on wall construction, Rs 4.45 lakh for asphalt painting, and other supplementary work that was originally intended to be executed by the initial contractors for Rs 4.21 crore.

“The involvement of all officials and ruling party leaders in Bardoli Nagarpalika in this substantial misappropriation of funds is deeply concerning. For a two-kilometer road with an initial estimated cost of Rs 4 crore, the Nagarpalika ultimately spent a jaw-dropping Rs 10 crore. I have called upon the Vigilance Commission to launch a comprehensive investigation into this matter,” stated Naik.