HC raps BRPNNL for delayed construction of R-block flyover

PATNA: The Patna high court on Tuesday rapped the Bihar Rajya Pul Nirman Nigam Limited (BRPNNL) for delay in construction of R-Block flyover which is causing huge traffic congestion, much to the chagrin of commuters.
The division bench of Chief Justice Amreshwar Pratap Sahi and Justice Anjana Mishra asked the managing director (MD) of the corporation to file a counter affidavit in personal capacity, apprising the court of the deadline to complete the project. The bench wondered why no work was in progress at the site.

The bench was hearing PILs filed by one Ravindra Kumar Karn, who had urged the high court to order removal of encroachments from roadsides, footpaths and below flyovers. The petitioner had also urged the court to ask authorities concerned to complete construction of R-Block flyover without any further delay.

Karn's counsel Sanjeev Kumar Mishra informed the court that construction work has stopped at the site for the last few months.

Following Mishra's submission, the court directed the MD of BRPNNL to file counter affidavit by January 22 when the PIL will be heard next. The court said if the MD failed to comply with the order, he would have to personally appear before the court.

The flyover is being constructed by a Gujarat-based firm, Rachna Construction, with an estimated expenditure of Rs 166.52 crore. The BRPNNL had entered into an agreement with the firm on November 12, 2015. The project was supposed to be completed by November 11 last year. However, the deadline has now been extended to March 31, 2020.