Don't collect money under guise of commission: Madras High Court

Chennai: Observing that the contractor and others, who are successful in getting the tender for laying roads, are not bothered by the accident that occurs due to bad condition of the roads on account of using inferior materials, the Madras high court has said for proper laying and maintenance of the roads, no one should collect any money under the guise of commission, which is nothing but a bribe.

Justice S. Vaidyanathan dismissed a petition filed by R. Nimrode, a road contractor, which challenged an order of the Maraimalai Nagar Town Panchayat, blacklisting him from the list of contractors and initiating proceedings for recovery of money for laying inferior quality road in Maraimalai Nagar-Anna Salai. Quoting an observation made by Justice N. Kirubakaran in one of his orders relating to corruption, Justice Vaidyanathan said, “I am of the view that there is every possibility that the Tamil Nadu may be ranked No.1 corrupt State”.

Noting that most of the roads have been laid with inferior quality/patchwork by collecting money, Justice Vaidyanathan said, “The public money is being misused and the contractors, who may be close to many of the officials or others, part with the money for the purpose of getting a tender. Having parted with the money, in order to earn more money, they use inferior quality materials and lay the road, which causes not only damage to the road so laid, but also causes several accidents and potholes etc., are formed on the roads. The contractor and others, who are successful in getting the tender, are not bothered about the accident that occurs due to the bad condition of the roads on account of using inferior materials. It is a very sorry state of affairs”.

The judge said the citizens have come to a level that as long as their family members and children were not affected, they were happy and that the contractors and others have no concern for human beings. The Corporation of Chennai/CMWSSB dealing with the drainage and water supply apart from a stormwater drain, Electricity department for laying underground cable and the other departments like Telephone department, cable work, etc., have got to join together and a decision be taken before laying the roads, so that all the requirements of the residents from these departments were completed/fulfilled in accordance with the law, so that the roads can be laid finally. In such an event, there will be no damage to the roads. “If every person is going to think that the land is their own body, they will decide as to whether so many operations can be done in the same place and if done, whether the survival is possible”, the judge added.