The Madhya Pradesh government faces allegations of misuse of fund and irregularities in Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS), India’s biggest city transport system which is being developed in Bhopal under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewable Mission.
Main Opposition Congress members Arif Aqueel, Govind Singh and deputy leader of Opposition Choudhury Rakesh Singh alleged in the state Assembly yesterday the government issued work orders to various “influential” contractors without entering into proper procedure. The Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) is developing the corridors. The Opposition also accused BMC of demolishing the structures constructed earlier to beautify a main road and thereby a huge amount of fund has been wasted to reconstruct those structures.
“No tender has been floated so far before awarding the contracts to various contractors,” alleged Arif Aqueel.
State Urban Administration Minister Babulal Gaur said, “The transit system will be the biggest in India and is being developed under norms laid by Union Transport Ministry guidelines for road construction but there are no specific rules for BRTS.”
He also clarified, “An amount of Rs 87.98 lakh has been spent on demolition of rotaries and other structures but BMC had prepared a detailed project report for BRTS and obtained necessary sanctions from Union urban development ministry. On the other hand, few locals have informed Business Standard that they have been issued notices as their residential areas are falling under the road plan. “I have asked the Bhopal Municipal Corporation to give me the compensation policy against surrender of my residential area. But they have yet not given me the details but verbally said no compensation will be awarded against the procurement of land or demolition of any residential area.”
The 24-km long BRTS route will connect nearby Misrod village on Bhopal-Hoshangabad road in east to Bairagarh town on Bhopal-Indore in west. With an estimated cost of Rs 184 crore, the BRTS route was expected to be completed by last month. A total of 14 BRTS are being constructed nationwide. There will be ultra-modern stoppage with various facilities and the entire road will have six lanes.