CHENNAI: The Greater Chennai Corporation spent over Rs 65 lakh on just one road – Devanathan Street at Mandaveli – which includes a ‘false bill’ of Rs 26 lakh for ‘road cut repair’, Arappor Iyakkam has claimed. They managed to establish the figures through a series of RTI applications.
According to RTI responses, the contract for the road work was taken up by a private contractor, J Santhanam, and was completed on May 30, 2016 at a cost of Rs 36,97,776. A month later in July, the road was cut by Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB).
Following this, a ‘patch work’ was undertaken at a total cost of Rs 2.25 lakh by another contractor, MPK Enterprises. However, earlier a resolution had been passed by the corporation council on March 23, 2015 for contractors to repair the roads laid by them.
“Why was it not given to the same contractor for repair?” asked Jayaram Venkatesan, convenor of Arappor Iyakkam, speaking to the press on Tuesday.
After the patchwork was done, the RTIs further revealed that another bill was raised for the same road for Rs 26.5 lakh, in December, barely seven months after the road work was completed.
“There was no road laid in December and this bill for almost Rs 26 lakh, 70 per cent of the original road laying cost, seems to be false,” said Venkatesan. Today, a-year-and-a-half later, the road is again damaged, he added.
In a statement on Tuesday, Arappor said the road was now full of potholes even when it was still under the warranty period of three years, as specified in the contract awarded to J Santhanam.
Arappor plans to file a complaint with the Ombudsman of Local Bodies in this regard. “Next, we are planning to expose the nexus between the contractors, officials and politicians that result in corruption in Chennai Corporation,” said Jayaram. The RTIs were filed by Nakkeeran P, treasurer of the Iyakkam.
When contacted, a senior corporation official said that he will verify the charges.
Meanwhile, the Chennai based NGO said the city police had warned them of law and order issues if they invited members of the public for the press meet.
“They had sent us a notice stating that the city police had received information on outsiders who plan to take part in the event and create law and order problems. Why haven’t they deployed any kind of security here today?” said Jayaram.
Keep at it warriors, tweets Kamal Haasan
Actor Kamal Haasan has come out in support of Arappor Iyakkam’s report, tweeting, “Thanks and wishes to my Arappor Iyakkam brothers. This is answer to all those who questioned me and sought proof. Let many such evidence follow. This is just expose 1. Keep at it Arappor warriors.”
Questions raised