MALAPPURAM: Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament has directed the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) to conduct a performance audit regarding the construction of national highways in Kerala in the wake of reports of damage from various parts of the state, PAC chairman K C Venugopal said.
The CAG has been asked to examine matters including contracts and design after irregularities were reported from seven districts. Venugopal said the CAG audit is recommended because there are allegations of widespread corruption in awarding sub-contracts.
“The purview of the audit will include all issues related to the construction of national highways in Kerala,” he said.
Venugopal said the transport secretary and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) have admitted to design flaws. “The officials said they were shocked by developments,” he said.
“The most appalling aspect is that there is no high-level committee looking into quality control for the entire project. There is no technical team to oversee the entire work,” he said.
NHAI chair-led inspection
“The team led by the NHAI chairman will visit the state on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. They have been asked not to confine their inspection to places where incidents were reported. They should also visit areas where there are apprehensions over the construction,” he said.
In addition, a three-member technical team from IIT Palakkad, CRRI, and GSI will inspect the sites where collapses and cracks were reported. These teams have been asked to submit reports within three weeks, Venugopal said.
Another collapse in Kooriyad
Meanwhile, a section of NH 66 in Kooriyad, Malappuram caved in on Wednesday night. The retaining wall collapsed, and soil and stones fell onto the service road. However, no casualties were reported.
The accident occurred just metres away from the spot where the road had collapsed on May 19. New cracks have formed on the protective wall.