Congress Alleges Rs 10,000-Crore Scam in Pune Ring Road Project
The Congress on Friday accused the BJP-led Mahayuti government in Maharashtra of a Rs 10,000-crore scam in the Pune Ring Road project. Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera claimed that the project, initially estimated at Rs 10,087 crore, was approved with a budget of Rs 20,990 crore, more than double the original cost.
Khera alleged that the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) violated rules by awarding four contracts each to two companies, though only two packages are allowed per company. He claimed this was done to benefit companies in return for funds for the ruling party.
Khera also pointed out that tender conditions were altered to favor contractors with tunnel construction experience, even though tunnel work makes up less than 10% of the project. He further stated that the construction cost is double that of similar projects by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and other states.
These allegations come after similar concerns were raised by NCP (SP) working president Supriya Sule and legislator Rohit Pawar regarding the inflated project cost.
The Pune Ring Road project, announced in 2016, is being developed by the MSRDC to reduce traffic congestion in the city and promote suburban development.