Ministers caution against siphoning of funds in Bihar project

Two Union Ministers from Bihar today asked Road Minister Nitin Gadkari to ensure strict monitoring against "minting of money by the state" in the proposed Rs 1,742-crore revamp of the famous Mahatma Gandhi bridge there.
The remarks by IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan were made in presence of Gadkari after the Union Cabinet approved the Rs 1,742-crore project to revamp Patna's lifeline Mahatma Gandhi Setu.
The project to rehabilitate 5.57 km long four lane bridge on National Highways -19 to link North and South Bihar was constructed in 1972. However, bridge in Patna-Hazipur region has been in a dilapidated condition in absence of proper maintenance.

The ministers were addressing a press conference after the Cabinet approval to the project.
"The bridge has become a source of minting money for the Bihar government. The Centre has alloted Rs 200 crore for its maintenance but nothing happened. Bihar government is taking commission in the name of maintenance. I fear same would continue now," Paswan said urging Gadkari to take control of the monitoring of the project.
Echoing views, Prasad said, "I call it a 'handicapped' bridge. Even Nitish Kumar (Bihar Chief Minister) has to resort to taking helicopter several times to visit Hajipur. Rs 200 crore has been given to the state for maintenance. Where that money has gone?"

Gadkari said that now after Cabinet nod the tenders will be received by July 13 and work will commence on August 15.

He said previously the government has roped in JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) to study whether the bridge can be revamped with the use of Japanese technology for which they had come out with a seven year plan entailing Rs 2,800 crore cost including Rs 2,200 crore civil cost.
However, to expedite it another consultant was appointed which proposed to build it at a cost of Rs 1,742 crore including the civil construction cost of Rs 1,355 crore.

"We are glad that the Cabinet has approved this proposal and it is scheduled for completion in 3.5 years but we will try to build it in 2.5 years. We have also roped in IIT Roorkee," Gadkari said.
The Minister also said that a detailed project report for another Rs 6,000 crore parallel bridge will be ready within three months and the work on the project is likely by December.
He said the construction of these bridges will decongest traffic there.
Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh also expressed concerns about the poor condition of the bridge.
Both Paswan and Prasad said that poor condition of the

bridge was causing severe problems to citizens of Bihar and the condition was such that many a time pregnant women delivered babies on the way.
Both the leaders had stressed that reaching Patna is easier from Delhi but going to Hajipur from Patna via the bridge was a nightmare.
The Ministers said that despite people of Bihar not voting NDA to power in the state, the centre is committed to fulfil the package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the state.
The setu (bridge) will be constructed after dismantling the damaged pre-stressed cantilever arms superstructure and subsequent re-decking by steel truss. The project will be in Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) mode.

It will help in expediting the improvement of infrastructure in the state besides reducing time and cost of travel, particularly for heavy traffic plying between North and South Bihar.
Trade with Nepal and Bhutan is also flowing through this route. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has made efforts to rehabilitate this bridge in the last 15 years but the efforts were not successful, an official statement said.