Bhubaneswar: Despite being blacklisted soon after the Bomikhal flyover collapse in that claimed one live September 10, 2017, the agency executing the project – Panda Infra Projects (India) Private Limited (PIPPL), is still listed as a ‘super class’ civil contractor on the Works Department’s official website of the state government.
On its official website (http://www.worksodisha.gov.in/civil_contractors_super_class.html, the Works Department has shared profiles of as many as 214 civil contractors (Super Class) and Panda Infra Projects is among them.
With the name of a blacklisted firm appearing in the top 100 Super Class civil contractors list on the government website, questions are being raised if the cancellation of the construction firm’s license was a mere eyewash. It also raises doubts about the attitude of the state government towards the construction of the project, which has already claimed two lives.
The state government had blacklisted PIPPL October 4, 2017 for alleged violation of safety standards that led to collapse of a portion of under-construction road over bridge (ROB) at Bomikhal. The mishap claimed the life of a businessman, while his daughter sustained grave injuries.
Despite these, the name of PIPPL was not removed from the Works Department website. What is shocking is that the government also allowed the construction firm to go ahead with the completion of the project despite the fact that the report of a probe into the mishap suggested that company flouted the standard operating procedure (SOP), which also mandated that the firm obtain fresh approval from the Works Department before continuing with the construction of the span, pillar and centering of the project.
On the other hand, PIPPL has repeatedly missed deadline of project. The work of the project, which started in 2012 and was scheduled to be complete in 2014, was given an extension of three years till 2017. Following last year’s mishap, the firm was given another extension till March 2018. However, the company failed to complete the project within the stipulated period and the deadline revised again to June 2018, exposing an unholy nexus between some officials of the Works Department and the blacklisted firm.
Interestingly, when the firm was allowed to continue work even after last year’s mishap, the Works Department came ‘clarified’ that it would be responsible for the completion of the project as no other firm will come forward to complete it.
However, following Thursday’s tragedy, which claimed the life of a labourer when a portion of iron railing caved in during centering work, the government’s previous decision to reassign the execution of the project to a blacklisted firm has come under scrutiny again and many has already leveled the decision as ‘unscrupulous’.
In fact, locals have alleged that the incident was a fall-out of the Works Department engineers’ failure to undertake regular inspection of the under-construction project. Taking advantage of such a lackadaisical attitude of the authorities, the firm freely used substandard materials at the cost of innocent lives.
As of now, the next course of action of the state government vis-à-vis the completion of the project and whether a new tender will be floated to invite other firms to take forward work is still unclear. Both Works Department Minister Prafulla Mallick and department secretary Nalinikant Pradhan seem to be avoiding the media after the tragedy. Hence, this correspondent couldn’t obtain their responses on the issue despite repeated attempts.
Panda Infra MD arrested; CM orders high-level probe
Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Friday ordered a high-level inquiry into the flyover collapse at Bomikhal area Thursday, which claimed the life of a labourer died, while another was critically injured.
On the other hand, the Panda Infra Projects Pvt Ltd (PIPPL) managing director Pratap Kishore Panda, who was in-charge of executing the project, was arrested by the police Thursday morning.
Expressing his deep regret over the tragedy, Patnaik announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh for the family of the labourer Ajaya Bhumij of Sundergarh district, who was killed when an iron railing of the under-construction Bomikhal flyover here collapsed Thursday night.
The Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) further said that all medical expenses of Ananda Kumar, the injured labourer would be borne by the state government. The victim is currently undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Bhubaneswar.
Addressing the media, Commissioner of Police YB Khurania said police arrested Panda in connection with the incident. Late night reports said that PIPPL MD was admitted to the SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack after he complained of health problems.
Khurania, who visited the spot this morning, assured that all those found guilty for the mishap will be arrested and punished according to the law of the land.
Around eight labourers were working at the site when the mishap occurred Thursday.
Meanwhile, an eight-member forensic team, deputed by the state government, made an on-the-spot investigation Friday morning. The team of experts reached the spot of mishap for investigation at around 11am.
Khorda district Collector Nirmal Mishra, who visited the site after the tragedy, said a thorough probe would be conducted by the technical team to ascertain the circumstances that led to the incident and preliminary inquiry has started. Engineer-in-chief (R&B) Om Prakash Patel, in his preliminary investigation report, said that the mishap occurred due to negligence on part of construction firm and its labourers.
The state government came under sharp attack with leaders of the opposition Congress and the BJP holding it responsible for the tragedy. They slammed the government for allowing the same construction firm, which was blacklisted after a similar mishap September 10 last year, to continue with the work.
Bomikhal bridge collapse yet again speaks volumes of the malaise within the government. Rampant corruption and inefficiency are the hallmark of this government
Narasingha Mishra | Leader of Oppn
Why was Panda Infrastructure allowed to execute the project again? Whose money has been invested in this project? Is the government shielding to the real culprits?
Sajjan Sharma | BJP Spokesman
The Opposition is busy brining allegations, but is not serious on the issue. It’s a tragic incident. The construction firm should have been extremely careful regarding the safety of workers. Any sort of negligence will be dealt seriously
Amar Satpathy | Govt Chief Whip
Sudarsan Maharana, OP
Bomikhal bridge collapse yet again speaks volumes of the malaise within the government. Rampant corruption and inefficiency are the hallmark of this government
Narasingha Mishra | Leader of Oppn
Why was Panda Infrastructure allowed to execute the project again? Whose money has been invested in this project? Is the government shielding to the real culprits?
Sajjan Sharma | BJP Spokesman
The Opposition is busy brining allegations, but is not serious on the issue. It’s a tragic incident. The construction firm should have been extremely careful regarding the safety of workers. Any sort of negligence will be dealt seriously
Amar Satpathy | Govt Chief Whip
