Bhubaneswar/Jatni: After being barred from Janti flyover project work, Panda Infraproject has come down heavily on the Works Department of the Odisha government. The company alleged that the Works department is levelling false and fabricated charges against it to hide own lapses and inabilities.
In reply to a letter from the Khurda Executive Engineer, the company said attempts are being made to defame it.
“We have documentary evidences that we were continuing with the work as per the work front made available to us,” the letter mentioned.
On the other hand, the All Odisha Contractors Association has come out in support of the company and said the Works department is shying away from its responsibilities by blaming Panda Infraproject.
“Panda Infraproject should not be blamed. The government is trying to cause losses to contractors through several means,” said Prabhat Das, president of the All Odisha Contractors Association.
Commenting on the development, Works department Secretary Nalinikanta Pradhan said, “The government will not accept whatever the company says. If Panda Infraproject moves court, we will fight there as well. The lapses will be presented point-wise before the court. Besides, the government is going for a new tender for the Jatni flyover project.”
The Jatni traders’ association, who was the first to level charges of irregularities against Panda Infraproject, demanded action against government officials who remained mute spectators and allowed corruption.
“The State government removed Panda Infraproject from the flyover work after much delay. Action is yet to be taken against govt officials who were supervising the work. We demand action against the concerned officials as well,” said Sudarsan Routray, president of the Jatni traders’ association.
Meanwhile, a team of the Works department officials visited the spot and undertook measurement to prepare a report following which re-tendering will be done.
Sources said Panda Infraproject has completed 30% work. After charges of poor quality work in construction of bridge pile, Vigilance and National Institute of Technology (NIT) Rourkela are investigating the matter.
Panda Infraproject was supposed to finish the flyover from Sitaram Chhak to Kudiari in Jatni in 2017. Troubles started creeping in for the company after the collapse of Bomikhal flyover, another one of its projects.