Only in Nagaland: Completed bridge sans attached roads

Only in Nagaland: Completed bridge sans attached roads

Only in Nagaland: Completed bridge sans attached roads

The RCC T-Beam Girder Bridge over River Dishakapu near ARTC, Dimapur which was reported as completed in January 2018. In this picture taken during a joint verification in July 2018, CAG finds no road attached to the bridge. (Photo: CAG)
 

Morung Express News
Dimapur | February 23


The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has brought to light the case of a bridge construction project between Dimapur and Jalukie which was labeled completed, though not attached to any roads on both ends. 


The CAG informed that the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) sanctioned a project for construction of an RCC T-beam girder bridge over the river Disakapu near ARTC, Dimapur at an estimated cost of Rs 4.67 crore during 2011-12. 


The project was sanctioned under Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) and implemented by State’s Public Works Department (Roads & Bridges).


The work commenced in July 2015 and was reported as complete in January 2018 after incurring an expenditure of Rs 4.18 crore.


The CAG, on examination of the Detailed Project Report (DPR) and the drawings revealed that abutment points of the bridge from both sides of the road (Dimapur and Jalukie) were aligned according to the gradient of the existing roads.


Joint verification of the project in July 2018 however, revealed that the completed bridge was not connected with the existing road from either ends. 


This, the CAG stated, indicated that the DPR was prepared without conducting proper survey rendering the expenditure of Rs 4.18 crore “unfruitful.”


In its response, the department concerned accepted the facts in December 2018. It however stated that the predicament of the bridge was due to the change of the bridge point owing to site problems. It further claimed that working estimates for the approach road had now been prepared.


The CAG said that this reply was an admission of the facts that the DPR was prepared without ascertaining the actual requirements in contravention of clause 6 of the RIDF guidelines in respect of preparation of DPRs.