Bengaluru steel flyover: Panel wanted firm banned for 5 years

BENGALURU: The contractor of the controversial steel flyover by L&T Limited should have been blacklisted for 5 years in the state, as per the recommendation of the 21-member Karnataka State Joint Legislative Committee headed by Dr Hemachandra Sagar in 2009.

But this was not done because of pressure from the Bangalore Vision Group, revealed former IAS man and whistle blower M.N. Vijay Kumar.

Addressing media persons on Friday, Mr Vijay Kumar said, “For the sub-standard works executed by L&T at  Bangalore International Airport Limited, which created crores of rupees loss to state exchequer, the above committee insisted on blacklisting the firm for 5 years.”

He continued, “The World Bank in its order dated 7th March 2013, had barred L&T from doing any business with it or any work on the projects funded by it, as the bank found large-scale fraud in the health project taken up by L&T in Tamil Nadu", Mr Vijay Kumar said. Mr Vijay Kumar also alleged that L&T Limited jointly bid  for the steel project along with Nagarjuna Constructions Limited, which is also a blacklisted firm.

“Nagarjuna Constructions is another tainted company and is known for its poor quality of work. It was blacklisted by the Puducherry government in 2012. The Telangana government is contemplating  blacklisting Nagarjuna Construction, as pipes laid by the firm to supply water from the Godavari, developed large-scale leaks,” he alleged.

“In Agartala, Tripura, Rs 300-crore bridge work taken up by the firm failed the load test and collapsed,” Mr Vijay said and questioned the motives of the state government in awarding projects to 'tainted and blacklisted companies'.

He said, “The letters I wrote to private companies L&T Limited, STUP Consultants, BDA and the state government, requesting all details of the controversial steel flyover to be made public, have not received any reply. I intend to formally lodge a complaint with ACB and will write to the World Bank Integrity Vice President to take appropriate action against the tainted firms.”

He added that he would write to the Registrar General of the High Court of Karnataka listing the above details, to be placed before the bench hearing the PIL on the steel bridge.

Advocate K.V. Dhananjay demanded a criminal investigation from CBI against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Bengaluru development minister George, to initiate and feed a corrupt project, fooling the citizens of Bengaluru. He said that they are exploring the options of filing a separate PIL against the execution of the project.

Notices slapped

• Notices slapped against Union of India, State of Karnataka, Dept. of Forest, Environment and Ecology Dept, Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, Karnataka State Environment Impact Assessment Authority and L&T Limited
• The court has slapped notices on BDA, KSPCB. They have been asked to reply within four weeks