PM road mess-up: Two engineers suspended

BENGALURU: After facing flak for shoddy road works in Kengeri and Jnanabharathi areas, carried out before Prime Minister’s visit to Bengaluru last month, the BBMP has suspended two engineers -- Assistant Executive Engineer HJ Ravi and Assistant Engineer I K Vishwas. Ravi is due for retirement in August.

Officials said a probe was taken up following the direction of the Chief Minister as the issue had put his administration on the defensive after photos and videos of caved-in roads and peeling of tar went viral.
Last month, the BBMP Road Infrastructure Department, going by media reports, served notice to Executive Engineer M T Balaji, Ravi and Vishwas seeking their explanation. Besides, a penalty of Rs 3 lakh was imposed on contractor Ramesh. The probe reportedly revealed that the bitumen, which was supposed to be 40 mm, was only 30 mm.

S Sudarshan, general secretary, KHB Nagarikara Kshemabivridhi Sangha, who had brought the shoddy work to public notice, said the suspended officials are scapegoats and alleged that the contractor, who executed the project, has fled abroad fearing arrest.

“The project was sanctioned by Road Infrastructure Chief Engineer B S Prahalad and the bill book was maintained by Executive Engineer M T Balaji. To save these two people, the most vulnerable ones have been targeted,” he alleged.