AAP alleges corruption in road projects

Sukhmeet Bhasin

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, January 3

AAP leaders on Friday alleged corruption in the works of newly laid roads in the city. AAP district president Navdeep Singh Jeeda along with others visited few areas where newly laid roads had worn out within two months.

They alleged that no bitumen had been used in the road and accused state Finance Minister and Municipal Corporation Bathinda (MCB) of the scam in the project. They also questioned why inquiry had not been marked into the matter.

Later, AAP leaders headed by Jeeda also held a press conference in which they threatened agitation in the coming days over the worn out roads in the city. They claimed that this showed the negligence of the government.

AAP leaders also alleged that after the construction of roads, no testing was conducted to check the quality and the work. Huge money had been spent on the construction and repair of the roads, which raised questions on the sub-standard material being used in these roads laid by the MCB. They said MCB should clear the air that why the roads got damaged so early. They said they had checked roads in different areas and most of them were in bad condition. “Wastage of public money would not be tolerated,” they said.

They warned that if no action was taken in that regard within eight days, they would stage an agitation and if required, would also go to Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Mayor Balwant Rai Nath had earlier claimed that the matter was in his notice and payment of the contract had been stopped and he had been asked to re-construct the roads, but no action had been initiated by the MC against the contractor.