RAIPUR: An alleged corruption scandal in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ambitious Bharatmala highway project has triggered a political storm in Chhattisgarh, with both the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress acknowledging the possibility of large-scale fraud in its execution.
The Bharatmala Pariyojana, approved by the Centre in 2017, aims to enhance logistical efficiency and connectivity across the country, including tribal areas, aspirational districts, and Maoist-affected regions.
Sources privy to the developments revealed that the corruption in the Raipur-Visakhapatnam economic corridor under the Bharatmala project came to light after Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, acting on a report by the vigilance division of the National Highways Authority of India, alerted the Vishnu Deo Sai government.
There are unverified claims that the alleged irregularities in land acquisition compensation for the project have benefitted leaders from both the BJP and the Congress.
Expressing concerns, Leader of Opposition Charandas Mahant has demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the matter. Congress leaders even staged a walkout during the ongoing state Assembly session in protest.
However, while the state government acknowledged the irregularities, it rejected the demand for a CBI probe and instead decided to conduct an investigation through the Economic Offences Wing (EOW).
The land compensation distribution took place in 2021 during the Congress regime. At the time, BJP leader Chandrashekhar Sahu and party spokesperson Gaurishankar Srivas had lodged complaints with the Prime Minister’s Office and the Central Vigilance Commissioner.
Mahant alleged that over ₹350 crore was embezzled in the execution of the Bharatmala project. Following accusations of corruption in land compensation distribution, the state government has suspended five officials, including an additional collector and a deputy collector.
“Suspending a few officials is not enough. Only a CBI inquiry can reveal the full extent of the corruption,” Mahant said.
It remains to be seen how the EOW proceeds with its investigation into the alleged irregularities in the execution of the Bharatmala Pariyojana in Chhattisgarh.
In a written reply to the Lok Sabha recently, Gadkari informed that out of the total 26,425 km sanctioned under the Bharatmala project, 19,826 km have already been constructed.