Punjab Newsline | Mansa
Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) has registered a corruption case against a road construction contractor and officials of the Nagar Council, Mansa, for allegedly causing a financial loss of ₹2.62 lakh to the state exchequer through the use of substandard construction material and misappropriation of public funds.
According to an official spokesperson, the case was registered following a complaint filed by a resident of Ward No. 5 on New Kacheri Road in Mansa.
Spokesperson said that the Mansa Municipal Council had awarded a contract for the repair of a road stretch from Gagowal-wali Gali on New Kachehri Road to the municipal boundary at Mansa Khurd. However, instead of repairing the entire road covered under the tender, only a portion of the stretch from Gagowal-wali Gali towards Chhoti Mansa was newly constructed.
A committee constituted on the directions of the Deputy Commissioner, Mansa, conducted a physical inspection of the road. Laboratory tests of samples collected from the site reportedly revealed that the material used did not meet the required compressive strength standards.
Further scrutiny by the Executive Engineer of the Punjab Mandi Board, Bathinda, found that the rates applied for the work were significantly higher than government-approved rates. The inspection report estimated an excess payment of ₹2.62 lakh.
Vigilance Bureau alleged that the contractor and concerned Municipal Council officials acted in collusion, leading to the use of inferior-quality material and causing a deliberate financial loss to the government.
A case under the Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered against the accused officials and the contractor at the VB Police Station in Bathinda. The investigation is ongoing.
