J&K anti-graft bureau books BRO officers for substandard work

Srinagar, July 13 Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Tuesday registered a case against project 'BEACON' of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and a private company for allegedly laying substandard macadam (black topping material) on a road in Baramulla district.

Sources in the ACB said an FIR has been registered for gross violations committed by project BEACON authorities while executing work for resurfacing on Srinagar-Baramulla-Uri road.

Sources said that the work was allotted to M/S Mirza Infrastructure Builders of Nowgam Srinagar.

"The registration of the instant case is the outcome of Joint Surprise Check (JSC) which was conducted by ACB into the allegations of laying substandard macadam on National Highway in Pattan Town from Kitchama to Baramulla by the BEACON authorities.

"During the JSC it was found that the macadam work executed at various locations has been completely damaged besides shortfall in thickness of macadam laid on the said road and during physical inspection, the thickness of macadam also did not correlate with the one shown executed by the concerned agency in their records.

"Besides, the quality of macadam laid on the said road was also not up to the mark and substandard material has been used for the macadamization. The tentative loss to the tune of Rs 72.95 lakh on account of shortfall of macadam quantity has been found during the checking.

"The omissions and commissions on part of concerned officers/officials of 53 Road Construction Coy (GREF) Uri and proprietor of M/S Mirza Infrastructure Builders constituted offences punishable under section 7, 13(1) (a) r/w section 13(2) of Prevention Corruption Act 1988.

"A case FIR No. 07/2021 was registered at police station ACB Baramulla in this regard and further investigation of the case was going on," sources added.