In Surat, two officials have faced swift disciplinary action due to the damage sustained by the approach to the Ved-Variav bridge. This action occurs amidst local concerns about the beneficiaries of the city's rapid development initiatives and allegations of corruption within the Surat Municipal Corporation.
The Ved-Variav bridge, inaugurated by the Chief Minister on May 18, experienced significant damage to its approach within just a month of its opening. This incident elicited severe criticism from the opposition and culminated in punitive measures against the involved officers. In response to the incident, the Municipal Commissioner issued a show-cause notice to one official and suspended another from duty.
The BJP-led local government has faced persistent allegations of corruption. These are not mere accusations; events such as the damage to the approach of the bridge, which cost 118 crores, have brought these allegations of corruption into sharper focus.
Following the strong criticism from the opposition, the Municipal Commissioner issued a show-cause notice to supervisor Jai Patel and suspended technical assistant Dinesh Lad with immediate effect. Both officials are now subject to a departmental investigation. The approach to the bridge sustained considerable damage, with a 3.5-meter wide and 30-meter long portion of the road sinking by approximately 4 inches.
Opposition Leader Dharmesh Bhanderi questioned the accountability of the Project Management Consultancy (PMC) in this situation. "If the authorities are taking such steps against the officials, why hasn't the responsibility of the PMC been addressed sooner?" he asked.
Bhanderi further accused the PMC of being heavily populated by BJP leaders, serving as an additional source of income for them. He criticized the decision to hire third-party project management consultancy despite having in-house engineers, accusing the authorities of misusing funds.
Concluding his remarks, Bhanderi noted that a project originally slated for completion within two years had taken four, using the COVID-19 pandemic as an excuse. He called for strict action against the PMC. As the controversy continues and the investigation into the damage of the bridge's approach unfolds, it continues to shed light on the deep-rooted issues within the local government's development and project management policies.
