Coramandel Infrastructure under lens for electrification delay

Chhattisgarh government is mooting a proposal to take stringent action against Hyderabad-based Coramandel Infrastructure Limited (CIL) for the alleged negligence committed in executing Rajiv Gandhi Rural Electrification Programme.

The company was awarded the contract by the state-run Chhattisgarh State Power Distribution Company (CSPDC) in March 2010 for rural electrification work to be taken up in Kondagaon district. The CIL was supposed to electrify 522 villages in the tribal-predominated pockets of Kondagaon with an estimated cost of Rs 53.14 crore. The project was stipulated to be completed in 18 months. But the CIL failed to meet the deadline and urged the CSPDC this year in September to extend the date for completion of the work. The CSPDC extended the deadline four times but it could not expedite the work.

Even after 38 months of bagging the contract, the CIL could complete the electrification work only in 145 villages. In some 90 villages, the company had erected poles and failed to make further progress. However, in remaining 287 villages, the company did not do any work under the programme.

"When we issued the last notice to the CIL some seven months ago, it started the work but stopped it soon," CSPDC Managing Director Subodh Singh told Business Standard. The state government is now planning to take stringent action against the company.In a major development, the District Collector of Kondagaon had issued a notice to the company's top brass seeking explanation why a First Information Report (FIR) may not be filed for the serious negligence committed. The company had been asked to reply by June 10.

"If the explanation was not satisfactory, police action could be taken against L V Sunil Kumar, the Managing Director of CIL on whose name the District Collector had issued the notice," Singh said. The state government is also exploring other options to complete the work.Singh said a proposal for partly termination of tender and re-tendering of work was also under consideration.

The company did not respond to an e-mail sent for its version on the issue.