RPS tampered with metal, sand permits

Nagpur: A tainted firm, Mumbai-based RPS Infraprojects Private Limited, allegedly with the help of public works department (PWD) officials, tampered with mineral transportation permits issued by the district administration in a bid to destroy evidence of employing petty contractors to execute the Ring Road cement concrete road project.

With the help of documents obtained under RTI Act by activist Suraj Lolge, TOI had on October 7 exposed inferior quality of works, and also the fact that RPS Infra was executing works through petty contractors, which is against the norms.

Lolge had on October 13 obtained more documents, including mineral transportation permits submitted by RPS Infra to the state's Public Works Department (PWD) to get payments. "I had submitted RTI application seeking the documents on September 6. PWD asked me to inspect the documents on September 16. I noticed names of Genesis Realtech and Trident JV on over 500 mineral transportation permits. I had taken pictures of some permits using my mobile at that time. Now, the permits have stamp of RPS Infra and IRR (Inner Ring Road) Project Nagpur," he said.

There are 11 columns in the permits of metal and sand issued by the district administration. Name of company or project to which the metal or sand is transported is mentioned in one of the columns. Stamp of RPS Infra and IRR Project Nagpur have been placed over Genesis Realtech and Trident JV in some permits. In some of them, Genesis Realtech and Trident JV names have been cut out with a pen.

The names of Genesis Realtech and Trident JV on permits prove that the works are being done by these companies.

The permits appeared to have been tampered with in the PWD office after TOI reports. Lolge said it was an offence to tamper with permits. "Signature of an official on behalf of collector is on the permits. Also, permits are on the letter head of collector office with a stamp of the collector office," he said.

Lolge said he has lodged a complaint with PWD chief engineer Ulhas Debadwar and collector Sachin Kurve. "PWD engineers intentionally delayed releasing information under RTI Act to allow RPS Infra to tamper with the documents. It is a serious crime to tamper with these permits. Action should be taken against PWD engineers, RPS Infra, Genesis Realtech, Trident JV and three firms that supplied metal and sand to the firms," he said.

Debadwar told TOI directives have been given to executive engineer Naresh Borkar to initiate action against responsible firms and persons. Borkar said notices will be issued to all seeking their replies, followed by appropriate action.

Lolge added that the registered numbers of the heavy vehicles being used in Ring Road project works were also suspicious. "I checked the number plate of one of the vehicles. A sticker with a local number was pasted atop the original number. There are many such violations by RPS Infra. Unfortunately, PWD officials are not ready to take any action against RPS Infra," he said.

Shiv Sena activists led by Nitin Tiwari and Ashish Hadge met PWD superintending engineer Prashant Navghare and demanded action against RPS Infra for shoddy quality of works on Friday.

RPS Infra has been banned by Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai for seven years in road works scam for inferior quality works. Apart from poor quality of works, RPS Infra has failed to complete even 50% of the works in Ring Road project in the given deadline of two years.