Two engineers from BBMP's RR Nagar zone have been suspended for their involvement in releasing Rs 10 crore to contractors, which is almost the entire project cost, even though the work was only partially done.
The suspension comes after an internal investigation conducted by the Technical Vigilance Cell (TVC), which revealed significant discrepancies on the part of junior engineers responsible for constructing two schools in RR Nagar's Laggere and Jnanabharathi areas.
The suspended individuals are K Manjegowda and H M Thimappa, assistant engineers in BBMP's projects division (RR Nagar). While Manjegowda was overseeing a ground plus one school project in Jnanabharathi, Thimappa's actions were far more serious, as he approved payments amounting to nearly 90 per cent of the project cost, despite the contractor not even completing the foundation work.
According to the internal report by BBMP, the method used to release payment for the incomplete work was the same in both cases. A sum of Rs 5.6 crore was allocated for constructing two blocks of a ground plus one floor building for a school in Jnanabharathi, while a separate grant of Rs 6.5 crore was sanctioned for a similar project in Rakshasi Halla, Laggere.
The investigation discovered that the engineer in charge of the Jnanabharathi school project approved two bills totalling Rs 4.57 crore, even though the contractor had only completed the foundation work and a few pillars. Additionally, it was revealed that the engineer did not possess any revenue record for the land near Srigandakaval lake, where the foundation work was conducted.
Similar lapses were identified in the Laggere school project, where the contractor hadn't even completed the foundation work, yet the engineer authorised payment for almost the entire project cost. Initially estimated at Rs 6.5 crore, the building's construction plan was later revised to Rs 10 crore without obtaining consent from BBMP's chief commissioner. The internal investigation also revealed that only two out of the 60 items mentioned in the scope of work were executed. Moreover, the construction took place directly above the BWSSB's water pipeline, further compounding the issues.
Following instructions from Dy CM DK Shivakumar, the Urban Development department suspended two engineers under whose watch several truckloads of soil was dumped into Hosakerehalli lake.
Based on the Lokayukta report that exposed payment of Rs 118 crore to the contractors for incomplete works, the government suspended seven BBMP engineers and one KRIDL engineer for facilitating one of the biggest scams of BBMP.
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