New Delhi/Malappuram: Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Chairman and senior Congress chief Okay.C. Venugopal on Thursday stated that the Nationwide Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Union Ministry of Highway Transport and Highways have admitted to lapses, together with a design failure, within the under-construction stretches of Nationwide Freeway 66 in Kerala. 

Talking to the media in New Delhi after a gathering of the PAC, Venugopal stated that each the NHAI and the Transport Secretary acknowledged technical snags through the overview, together with flaws within the challenge’s design, which have led to the crumbling of highway segments in a number of districts.

“On the assembly, NHAI and the Transport Secretary accepted that technical failures, particularly in design, had been behind the harm to NH 66. Alarmingly, it has emerged that the ultimate design was made by the contractor,” Venugopal stated.

The PAC additionally raised issues over procedural lapses. Venugopal famous that through the interplay, it was revealed there was no high-level technical committee in place for high quality assurance.

“Within the case of the collapsed stretch at Kuriyad in Malappuram, locals had lengthy warned that the freeway ought to have been elevated, because it passes by means of a paddy area. These warnings had been ignored,” he stated.

The PAC has now requested the Comptroller and Auditor Common (CAG) to conduct a efficiency audit, together with an in depth overview of the design.

Venugopal added that the PAC has directed the NHAI chairman to go to Kerala for a three-day inspection beginning Saturday, not simply to Kuriyad however to different websites as nicely.

A 3-member technical committee comprising senior consultants has additionally been fashioned, which has been tasked with submitting a report back to the PAC inside three weeks.

“We have now requested for a complete report detailing what went incorrect and what corrective measures will probably be taken,” Venugopal stated.

Venugopal additionally took a swipe at Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his son-in-law, PWD Minister P.A. Mohammed Riyas, accusing them of silence after initially taking credit score for the challenge.

“Till the NH 66 collapses got here to mild, each the Chief Minister and the PWD Minister had been boasting in regards to the challenge. Now, they’ve gone quiet,” he remarked.

Venugopal had visited NH 66 websites in Kerala on Wednesday and raised robust objections to the development requirements and lack of oversight.