NHAI, Transport Ministry Admit Design Flaws In Kerala’s NH 66: KC Venugopal

New Delhi/Malappuram: Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Chairman and senior Congress chief Ok.C. Venugopal on Thursday mentioned that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways have admitted to lapses, together with a design failure, within the under-construction stretches of National Highway 66 in Kerala. 

Speaking to the media in New Delhi after a gathering of the PAC, Venugopal mentioned that each the NHAI and the Transport Secretary stated technical snags all the way through the evaluate, together with flaws within the undertaking’s design, that have ended in the crumbling of highway segments in a couple of districts.

“At the meeting, NHAI and the Transport Secretary accepted that technical failures, especially in design, were behind the damage to NH 66. Alarmingly, it has emerged that the final design was made by the contractor,” Venugopal mentioned.

The PAC additionally raised considerations over procedural lapses. Venugopal famous that all the way through the interplay, it was once published there was once no high-level technical committee in position for high quality assurance.

“In the case of the collapsed stretch at Kuriyad in Malappuram, locals had long warned that the highway should have been elevated, as it passes through a paddy field. These warnings were ignored,” he mentioned.

The PAC has now requested the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) to habits a efficiency audit, together with an in depth evaluate of the design.

Venugopal added that the PAC has directed the NHAI chairman to consult with Kerala for a three-day inspection beginning Saturday, no longer simply to Kuriyad however to different websites as smartly.

A 3-member technical committee comprising senior professionals has additionally been shaped, which has been tasked with filing a report back to the PAC inside of 3 weeks.

“We have asked for a comprehensive report detailing what went wrong and what corrective measures will be taken,” Venugopal mentioned.

Venugopal additionally took a swipe at Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his son-in-law, PWD Minister P.A. Mohammed Riyas, accusing them of silence after first of all taking credit score for the undertaking.

“Until the NH 66 collapses came to light, both the Chief Minister and the PWD Minister were boasting about the project. Now, they have gone quiet,” he remarked.

Venugopal had visited NH 66 websites in Kerala on Wednesday and raised robust objections to the development requirements and loss of oversight.