Kochi: Haneesh, 16 others named in flyover case

Kochi: The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau has called for a probe against 17 officials, including Mohammad Haneesh, currently the managing director of Kochi Metro Rail Ltd, in connection with the corruption in the construction of Palarivattom flyover. Haneesh was the managing director of Roads and Bridges Development Corporat- ion (RBDCK), the state government-owned agency responsible for implementing the Rs 47.7- crore flyover project.

Apart from Haneesh, the first information report filed by the VACB in connection with the case has named former KITCO managing director Cyriac David, joint general managers Benny Paul, G. Pramod and RBDCK former general manager M.D. Thankachan. KITCO was the consultant for the project.

The FIR has stated that the condition of the flyover is “extremely serious” and that it cannot be resolved through mere repair work. The Vigilance has suggested a fresh construction of the flyover, a vital link in one of the busiest roads in the state. The FIR has called for raising the money needed for the new construction from the contractors involved in the earlier construction.

The project launched at the time of the Congress-led United Democratic Front government was commissioned in 2016 after the present LDF government assumed office. The facility was closed one month ago after cracks were noticed in many parts of the bridge. Although the initial expectation was that the same could be rectified with repair work, a detailed examination by an expert team from IIT, Chennai, found structural flaws in the design and material deficiencies in the construction of the flyover.

The IIT team has found that the cracks on girders and pier caps were caused due to inadequate usage of cement and steel. The state government then ordered a Vigilance probe into the matter even as PWD Minister G. Sudhakaran voiced the possibility of corruption in the project. The Ernakulam unit of the VACB has registered the FIR after getting the nod from the director.