Rajpipla: Taking serious note of massive structural irregularities and poor construction quality, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel ordered the state Roads and Buildings Department to file a First Information Report (FIR) against the contractor responsible for a newly constructed bridge in Narmada district.
The major bridge, strategically built over the Karjan river on the Rajpipla-Ramgadh (Navagam) road, serves as a crucial transit route connecting Rajpipla and surrounding areas. The contract for this Rs 10.71 crore infrastructural project was officially awarded to Surat-based M/s Royal Infra Engineering Pvt Ltd during the 2018-2019 financial year. Construction commenced on September 15, 2018, and was officially marked complete on August 14, 2020.
However, alarming deficiencies surfaced during a recent departmental inspection when officials discovered that a massive section of the bridge’s foundation had visibly sunk into the riverbed. This severe red flag prompted the state’s Quality Control Division to launch a comprehensive safety evaluation of the entire structure. The detailed probe uncovered further structural damages across various sections, officially deeming the bridge unsafe for public transit and forcing an immediate closure to vehicular traffic.
Following these devastating findings, CM Bhupendra Patel directed the authorities to file an immediate criminal complaint at the local Rajpipla Police Station against the managing authorities of M/s Royal Infra Engineering Pvt Ltd.
Going beyond the private firm, the Chief Minister has also initiated a widespread departmental crackdown. Under the Gujarat State Service (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1971, he ordered strict disciplinary action against all state officials and public employees found complicit in overseeing and approving the substandard work.
Through this aggressive stance, the Chief Minister’s Office released a strong statement, reiterating the government’s commitment to public safety. “The state government will not tolerate any compromise regarding the quality and safety of public construction projects,” the official release noted, echoing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ethos of strict accountability in public works.