Palike engineer 'bleeds' bankrupt civic agency of Rs 7.6 crore

Allowed KPTCL to lay cables without collecting charges: Probe report

The action of C T Ramesh, the Engineer-in-Chief of the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike has caused a huge loss of Rs 7.6 crore to the civic agency, according to an inquiry report.

Ramesh allegedly allowed the Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited (KPTCL) to lay cables at ten locations in the City, without collecting the stipulated fee.

While a detailed investigation will disclose whether the conduct of Ramesh amounted to negligence or an act of connivance, the initial probe has indicated that the Palike suffered a major loss at a critical time — even as it mortgages its properties to overcome the funds crunch.

The Palike Council had passed a resolution to collect Rs 300 per metre as a cable-laying charge and Rs 120 per metre as a monthly-rental charge. 

But months after fixing the rates, Yediyur corporator N R Ramesh and Nagapura corporator S Harish, allege that the Engineer-in-Chief gave permission to private telecom firms and state-owned firms to proceed with the work without collecting any fees. They also alleged that Ramesh bypassed Commissioner M K Shankarlinge Gowda and Chief Engineer (OFC) B S Prasad, while permitting the companies to lay cables.

Following the allegations, the  Commissioner ordered an inquiry which revealed that KPTCL had sought permission from the Palike Engineer-in-Chief to lay four sets of cables at 10 locations around the City. A copy of the inquiry report is with Deccan Herald. 

The ten locations are: Nimhans, HSR Layout, BBMP East Division Compound, Kantheerava GIS, National College to BMTC, Hoodi to B Narayanapura, Nimhans to Jayanagara, VKTP to Devarabeesanahalli, Kadugodi to ETIP and near Sobha Apartments. The inquiry also revealed that while Ramesh collected restoration charges from the KPTCL, but ignored cable-laying charges which run into several crores.

Gowda said he was not sure whether the state-owned KPTCL, which is an essential service provider, is entitled to any financial exemptions in cable-laying work, in the City.

He said, however, that if there are no exemptions, those responsible will be prosecuted.

“Anyone found guilty of causing loss to the Palike will not be spared,” he said. “We will not hesitate to hand over the case to the Bangalore Metropolitan Task Force, which is already on an FIR registration spree against Palike officers.”