₹2,000 crores spent on ₹800 cr tunnel in Jabalpur:CAG estimates irregularities of ₹100 cr; Sleemanabad project complaint reaches EOW

The ambitious Bargi Diversion Project (BDP) of Madhya Pradesh’s Sleemanabad Tunnel is once again embroiled in controversy. This project, which started in 2008 with an estimated cost of around ₹800 crore, has reached approximately ₹2,000 crore after nearly 18 years. Meanwhile, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has pointed out financial irregularities of around ₹100 crore in the project. After examining records up to March 31, 2023, the CAG stated in its report that additional payments were made to the contractor in violation of contract terms. Citing ‘Force Majeure’, an additional payment of ₹39.60 crore was made in the name of de-watering. Besides this, the work of cement concrete grout block was given to another agency instead of the original contractor for ₹13.24 crore. The CAG has mentioned that undue benefits of a total of ₹53.04 crore were received in both these cases. Based on this report, on July 3, Neeraj Mishra, an RTI activist from Jabalpur, has filed a complaint with the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) Bhopal and Lokayukta demanding an investigation.
Reference to special circumstances for additional payment According to CAG, the government itself bore the cost of some works included in the contract. The department did not recover the amount in other items, including road repairs. The report states that some works within the scope of the contract were given to another contractor and special circumstances were cited for additional payment. Based on these facts, RTI activist Neeraj Mishra has submitted a 95-page complaint to EOW and Lokayukta. Along with this, 18 documents have also been attached as evidence. His allegation is that the department gave more relief to the contractor company than the rules. According to Mishra, the construction company kept work stopped for a long time, yet its bank guarantee was not forfeited. The company got work done by other companies, but no action was taken against it as per the contract.
Additional approval of ₹25.98 cr The complaint also mentions a letter dated October 12, 2023. According to this, an additional amount of ₹25.98 crore was approved separately from the contract. In December 2023, the government also gave permission for payment of ₹17.33 lakh and GST for power line shifting. Mishra alleges that almost every additional expense incurred during construction was paid from the government treasury. They have demanded the registration of an FIR under the Prevention of Corruption Act and fraud sections against then Secretary CS Pawar, GP Sonkar, then Chief Engineer Rammani Sharma, current Chief Engineer DL Verma, then Executive Engineer Sahaj Srivastava, and officials of the contractor company. Along with this, they have also demanded that files of high-level meetings from 2021 and 2023, technical approvals, and financial documents be seized and a forensic investigation be conducted. Cutting through mountains to build a tunnel is not an easy task On the other hand, Chief Engineer of Narmada Valley Development Authority, DL Verma, has denied all allegations. He says that this is one of the country’s largest tunnel projects. Cutting through mountains to build a 12-kilometer-long tunnel is not ordinary construction work. He said that due to technical reasons, some additional expenses were incurred; therefore, separate approval had to be obtained. He claimed that every additional payment was made with government permission. According to him, the CAG did not give adequate importance to the actual circumstances on the ground. Verma said that the project is in its final phase. Water supply through the tunnel will begin this year itself. This will benefit lakhs of farmers in Katni, Satna, Maihar, Rewa and Panna with irrigation. Additionally, water management between the Narmada and Son basins will also be strengthened.