Another road added to already controversial road:3 PWD engineers suspended over 350m stretch; now 164m extension built on same pathway

A new revelation has emerged in the controversial road construction case linked to retired Public Works Department (PWD) chief engineer G.P. Mehra in Narmadapuram. After disciplinary action was taken over a 350-metre concrete road built inside Mehra’s private Kasturi Farm House using government funds, a new 164-metre asphalt road has now been added to the same stretch. Earlier, the alignment of an approved road was altered to construct the 350-metre CC road inside the farm house, leading to the suspension of the Executive Engineer (EE), Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO), and Sub-Engineer of the PWD. 164-metre asphalt road also built on private land The newly constructed 164-metre asphalt road, which connects to a school route, has also been laid on private land belonging to Kasturi Farm House. However, current PWD Chief Engineer Sanjay Maske and Executive Engineer Anurag Singh have denied departmental involvement in constructing this road. They claim they have no knowledge of who built the road. Meanwhile, PWD Assistant Engineer Yogendra Singh stated that while the department did not build it, the contractor may have constructed it for connectivity purposes. Retired ENC G.P. Mehra has so far avoided commenting on the matter. No land transfer or recovery even after government spending Despite the use of government funds to build roads on private land, the department has not initiated any formal land transfer process in favor of the government. Following media queries, PWD officials including EE Anurag Singh and SDO A.K. Durape conducted a site inspection to measure road length, width, and quality. A report is being prepared for submission to the Chief Engineer’s office in Bhopal. With both the Lokayukta and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) investigating Mehra’s assets, officials are reportedly reluctant to give official statements. Road approved under New Development Bank (NDB) project Under the New Development Bank (NDB) project, a work order worth Rs 139.47 crore was issued to Kasana Builders for constructing a 29.80-km road from Semri Harchand to Gajnai Bridge, along with other roads. On March 13, 2023, then PWD Secretary R.K. Mehra approved an additional 1,305 metres of road, increasing the total project length to 31.10 km and cost to Rs 156.89 crore. The additional road was divided into three segments: While the first two segments were constructed correctly with a 3.75-metre width, the third segment’s alignment was altered, resulting in a 350-metre CC road built inside the farm house, followed by the additional 164-metre asphalt road (3 metres wide). Attempt to conceal irregularities using old proposal PWD sources allege efforts are being made to conceal the irregularities. In 2021, a proposal was submitted to build a road through Mehra’s farm house, accompanied by a letter offering land donation for schoolchildren and farmers. However, the 2022–23 proposal, which received approval, clearly stated that the road would be built outside the farm house boundary wall, via the school route. Despite this, the alignment was changed, leading to suspensions. Sources claim the newly added asphalt road is being used to justify the altered alignment by citing the 2021 proposal in official records. No recovery or legal transfer even after 2.5 years On August 9, 2023, Govind Mehra and his son Rohit Mehra wrote to the PWD, citing difficulties faced by schoolchildren due to a drain behind Saini village. The letter mentioned permission to construct a road through the farm and claimed that 67.75 metres of private land (5.5 metres wide) had been handed over for the project. Despite this, even after two and a half years, no formal donation deed, land transfer, or recovery of funds has been initiated against the responsible engineers or G.P. Mehra. Who is GP Mehra?
Govind Prasad (GP) Mehra is a retired Chief Engineer of PWD and the provincial president of Mehar Garhwal Samaj Kalyan Parishad. Currently, he lives in Bhopal, while Saini village near Semri Harchand in Narmadapuram district is his ancestral village. Mehra has built several inventories and luxury farm houses on 90 to 100 acres of land under his empire. Kasturi Krishi Farm House has a high-tech multi-level cowshed with over 100 Gir cows. The milk and ghee from here are sold online and in the open market. 17 tons of honey, including flavored honey, was extracted from the farm, priced at 150 to 600 rupees per kg. Additionally, organic black wheat, local chickpeas, and moong are also supplied. The farm house has three ponds for fish farming, at the banks of which luxury resorts have been built. There are a total of 39 resorts, of which 7 are ready and 32 are under construction. Organic products have been sold since 2022. The company’s turnover is reported to be approximately 2.50 crore. Currently, construction work is halted. Who is G.P. Mehra Govind Prasad (G.P.) Mehra is a retired PWD Chief Engineer and the State President of Mehar Garhwal Social Welfare Council. He currently resides in Bhopal, while his ancestral village is Saini, near Semri Harchand in Narmadapuram district. Mehra reportedly owns 90–100 acres of land, housing multiple luxury and inventory-based farmhouses. Kasturi Agricultural Farm features a high-tech multilevel cowshed with over 100 Gir cows, selling milk and ghee online and in open markets. The farm has produced 17 tonnes of honey, including flavoured variants priced between Rs 150 and Rs 600 per kg. Organic black wheat, chickpeas, and green gram are also sold. The property includes three fish ponds, 39 luxury resorts (7 completed, 32 under construction), and multiple high-end agricultural facilities. The annual turnover is estimated at Rs 2.5 crore. Construction work is currently halted. Lokayukta, ED shocked by assets worth crores On October 9, Lokayukta SP Durgesh Rathore led raids at four locations linked to G.P. Mehra, including his Bhopal residence, ancestral village, and farm house. Recoveries included: Four luxury cars—Ford Endeavour, Skoda Slavia, Kia Sonet, and Maruti Ciaz—were also found registered in the family’s name. The scale of assets reportedly left even Lokayukta officials stunned, prompting the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to initiate a parallel probe. PWD chief engineer: Probe ongoing PWD Chief Engineer Sanjay Maske said an investigation is ongoing into the additional road built after altering alignment. He reiterated that the asphalt road was not constructed by the department. Attempts to contact G.P. Mehra were unsuccessful, as he neither answered calls nor responded to messages.